LIRR official: Courtesy results in beating

A gentleman from Holbrook who allowed a woman to move ahead on him on a rest room line was assaulted on a Long Island Rail Road train by a man who did not appreciate the gesture, a railroad spokesman said Monday.

The 28-year-old victim was punched in the face, and possibly dragged on the floor about 8:40 p.m. Sunday while riding on a train between Westhampton and Speonk stations, railroad spokesman Salvatore Arena said.

"The victim told police he was on line for a lavatory and allowed a female passenger to use the facility ahead of him, and one individual hauled off and punched him in the face," Arena said.

The train, the 7:34 p.m. westbound due in Penn Station at 10:39 p.m., pulled into the Speonk station and the assailant fled, Arena said.

The injured man was taken off the train to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue for treatment of facial bruises around his right eye and a bruised or wrenched left knee, Arena said.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority police said the attacker was a man in his 20s who was wearing a green Boston Celtics jersey and a black New York Yankees cap. They asked that anyone with information contact MTA detectives at 631-232-7198.