PHILADELPHIA — A man has been arrested on charges he grabbed a woman by the feet and threw her onto the tracks at a Philadelphia subway station, police said. The woman got off the tracks on her own and had minor injuries.
Police announced the arrest Thursday, more than two days after the woman was assaulted about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at a subway station in Chinatown.
The victim had been sitting on a bench when the man asked her what time the train was coming and requested a light for his cigarette, according to investigators. After she obliged and put the lighter back in her coat pocket, police said, the man grabbed her by the neck and punched her.
In the assault, caught on surveillance video, the man can be seen grabbing the victim by her feet, dragging her along the platform, and then throwing her on the tracks as she screamed. The suspect walked away with her cellphone, police said. The woman got back up onto the platform with bruises and cuts.
Police investigators and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said they did not release information about the attack until Thursday because they had identified the suspect by his distinctive jacket, which has one red sleeve, one aqua sleeve, and a Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resorts logo on it.
They said they did not want to compromise the investigation by giving a description.
Transit police chief Thomas Nestel called the decision not to release the description earlier ‘‘very, very difficult,’’ but said police thought it was their best chance and didn’t want him to take it off.
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