Homeless man accused of randomly punching Steve Buscemi sent to jail on $50K bail

Metro

By Georgett Roberts, Jon Levine and Tina Moore

The homeless attacker who slugged “Boardwalk Empire” actor Steve Buscemi in the eye was sent to jail on $50,000 cash bail at his arraignment Saturday, court records show.

Clifton Williams has been accused of walking up to Buscemi, 66, on Third Avenue in Kips Bay at 11:39 a.m. May 8 and randomly punching the actor, before casually walking away.

Buscemi fell to the ground and suffered “bleeding to his eye, swelling, bruising, and substantial pain,” according to a criminal complaint filed against Williams.

Williams, 50, was hit with a felony count of second-degree assault because Buscemi is over 65. 

He was also charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly attacking a 22-year-old Asian man 10 minutes before attacking the “Fargo” star.

The suspect has “significant criminal history in both Kentucky and Florida spanning  many years including assaults and other crime of violence,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Barry said during the proceeding in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Wiliams “has been in New York for less than a month,” she added, requesting $100,000 bail.

Judge Marisol Martinez Alonso sent Williams, who stands 6-feet, 2-inches and weighs 197-pounds, to Rikers Island jail on $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond, court records show.

The NYPD identified him from surveillance footage near the site of the attack and had been scouring the city for him, including at a Brooklyn homeless shelter believed to be his last known address, law enforcement sources said.

When cops confronted Williams with the surveillance photo, he admitted he was the man in the photo and copped to both assaults, according to the criminal complaint.

Williams, clad in black jeans, a black long sleeve sweat shirt and gray high top shoes, said “Yes, Your Honor” in a loud and clear voice during his court appearance.

In addition to the two May 8 attacks, another man claimed to the The Post that Williams tried to punch him and threatened to kill him around 12:30 Friday, the same day he was arrested,

Plumber Mark Belli said the encounter occurred at 260 11th Avenue, where Belli works.

“He threw a punch at me,” the 54-year-old said. “I ducked it. He went to kick me and his shoe came off. I took a picture of him because he was chasing me. He said, ‘If I catch you, I’m going to kill you.’”

Belli said Williams has been living in a cardboard box right around the corner from the building and that he was angry someone took his box.

Belli, whose account could not be immediately confirmed, believes the city took it while doing a sweep of homeless people.

He said he snapped a photo of Williams and called 911 to report the harassment and was told to file a report, which he intends to do.