Suffolk Water employee's jaw broken in Patchogue attack

A Suffolk County Water Authority employee was attacked and his jaw broken as he helped to restore service at a Patchogue house, Suffolk County police and water department officials said.

According to a release by the utility, the employee was helping to turn on the water at a house on Holbrook Street Wednesday at about 7 p.m. when he was surrounded by a group of people and assaulted by at least one person.

The worker had his jaw broken in two places, the release said, and he was taken to Stony Brook University Medical Center.

A water authority spokesman said the employee was still in the hospital as of late Thursday.

Stephen Jones, chief executive of the Suffolk County Water Authority, said in a statement that the "harshest criminal charges" would be sought in the attack.

"We will absolutely not stand for this type of lawless behavior," he said in a statement.

Paddy South, a spokesman for the water authority, said water service at the house had been shut off Wednesday morning. The address has a history of nonpayment and repeated shut off, he said.

Police said they were investigating the attack.