DILLINGHAM: Last week a man standing on the Dillingham bike path was punched in the face by a stranger on a bike, and was later hospitalized after his eyeball popped out of its socket.
The attack happened Thursday afternoon, and was reported to police the following day. The victim told police he had had a few drinks with a friend, and was standing on the bike path waiting for a cab when a bicyclist buzzed by a little too close for his comfort. He yelled an expletive version of "watch where you're going," which allegedly prompted the biker to stop, get off his bike, punch the victim in the eye, then push him to the ground.
The victim said he didn’t know who his attacker was, and he went home to nurse his wounds. A short time later, while the victim was blowing his nose, his left eyeball, where he’d been punched, popped out of its socket. He pushed it back in before heading to the hospital, where a doctor advised that he'll need to undergo surgery in Anchorage.
The police note that "Mr. T----- has never had an experience where his eye ball popped out of his head when he was blowing his nose and this incident occurred as a direct result of the injury that he received after being punched in the eye by the male subject."
At least one person witnessed the mid-day attack, and a photo lineup led police to Steven Sanderson, 45. Sanderson denied any involvement, but was eventually placed under arrest and charged with felony assault in the second degree.
Magistrate Tina Reigh set Sanderson’s bail at $5000 at his arraignment Wednesday.