A 63-year-old homeowner in Aurora, Colorado, was allegedly attacked in his garage by a man he did not know while working outside his home, according to local news reports.
Kendan Lubovich, 33, was arrested in connection with the October 18 incident and is being held without bond at the Arapahoe County Jail. The case involves allegations that Lubovich approached homeowner Tom Ruszkowski from behind and repeatedly struck him.
According to KUSA, an NBC-affiliated television station in Denver, surveillance footage showed Lubovich walking along the sidewalk in front of Ruszkowski’s home before the alleged attack.
Ruszkowski told the station that he was working outside when the incident occurred. He said he did not hear the suspect say anything before the assault began.
“Not one word,” Ruszkowski told KUSA when asked whether the man spoke to him.
He described the sudden attack, saying he was struck in the back of the head before the suspect allegedly continued hitting him while he was on the garage floor.
“The next thing I know, boom, I got punched right in the back of the head,” Ruszkowski told the station.
He added that the attacker jumped on him and continued striking him as he lay on the ground.
Family Members Tried to Stop the Attack
Ruszkowski’s family members heard the commotion and rushed to help.
His daughter, Amanda McClain, told KUSA that she woke up after hearing her children screaming. The children had reportedly witnessed the incident and alerted the family by shouting that someone was hitting their grandfather.
McClain said she tried to get the attacker away from her father by using a Swiffer and a baseball bat.
Ruszkowski’s wife also ran to the garage to help him, according to the report.
The suspect eventually left the scene. Police later located Lubovich at a neighbor’s home and arrested him, KUSA reported.
Homeowner Suffered Multiple Injuries
Ruszkowski sustained several injuries during the alleged attack. In an interview with KUSA, he was seen with facial injuries that required staples and sutures.
He also reportedly lost a tooth and suffered a shoulder injury.
The incident has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault, particularly because Ruszkowski said he did not know the man accused of attacking him.
Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the incident in the information available for this report.
Suspect Had Three Other Pending Assault Cases
KUSA also reported that Lubovich had been released on bail in connection with three pending assault cases in other Colorado counties.
Those cases were reportedly on hold while officials worked to determine whether Lubovich was mentally competent to proceed with the legal proceedings.
The pending cases are separate from the allegations involving Ruszkowski in Aurora.
Lubovich has been charged with assault in connection with the October 18 incident and appeared in court on Wednesday, according to the report.
His next court date was not publicly available at the time of the reporting.
The allegations against Lubovich have not been established as facts in court. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
