DA: Schenectady man convicted in 2018 asphalt toss assault

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Luis Serrano

SCHENECTADY — A city man assaulted another man with a large piece of asphalt over a debt last year, a Schenectady County Court jury has found.

The jury on Thursday convicted Luis Serrano, 36, of State Street, on one count each of first-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, felonies, Schenectady County district attorney’s officials said.

Serrano faces up to 25 years in prison on the assault conviction at his sentencing later.

The incident happened April 23 on Sunset Street, near Congress Street, prosecutors said. Serrano was arrested in May.

Serrano parked there and waited for the victim to arrive, a man who allegedly owed Serrano a debt, prosecutors said.

The victim soon drove past and parked. Serrano then armed himself with the asphalt, walked up behind the victim and hurled the asphalt through the victim’s driver’s side window.

The asphalt hit the victim in the head and Serrano fled, prosecutors said. The victim was found shortly afterward slumped over the center console of his car, appearing to be dead, prosecutors said.

The victim suffered a “complex skull fracture,” a brain injury. He spent five days in the hospital and was left deaf in his left ear, with little vision in his left eye for months, prosecutors said. He also had no feeling in the left side of his face and needed the assistance of a cane to walk for four months. He continues to have no nearing in his left ear, blurry vision in his left eye and little feeling in his face.

Police tracked Serrano down with the help of a description given to dispatchers in the initial 911 call. A street camera then captured Serrano heading toward the scene and running away after the attack, prosecutors said. The street camera system also helped investigators track Serrano’s car to the area of his apartment.

“The outcome of this case was only made possible by the hard work and dedication of the detectives at the Schenectady Police Department, and especially that of investigators John Madden and Chuck Sullivan at the Schenectady District Attorney’s Office,” a district attorney’s release reads.

Assistant District Attorney Nicolaus McDonald prosecuted. Serrano was represented by attorney Justin deArmis. Schenectady County Court Judge Matthew Sypniewski presided.

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