Police searching for man who threw woman to the ground, touched her 'inappropriately' in Cedarhurst

Police are searching for a would-be robber who grabbed a woman then touched her "inappropriately" — only to be scared off when a passerby hit her car horn.

The incident occurred early Thursday evening on Broadway in Cedarhurst, Nassau County police said.

Police said the 32-year-old victim was walking west on Broadway near Adelberg Lane, just east of Rockaway Turnpike, when a man grabbed her around the neck, threw her to the ground and demanded money. When the woman told him she didn't have any, police said the man "proceeded to touch her inappropriately." That was when police said a passerby spotted the attack and hit her horn, causing the attacker to flee north on Adelberg Lane. The incident was reported at 5:33 p.m.

Police are asking anyone with information to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.

All calls will remain confidential.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”