Herald reporter accused of attacking elderly man

GROVELAND, Mass. -- A reporter for the Boston Herald is accused of attacking a 74-year-old man.

Police said 33-year-old O’Ryan Johnson attacked an elderly man inside a local laundromat.

Kent White, 74, was having trouble figuring out how to use the washing machine when he asked a man a few machines down for help.

“That gentleman became irate and there was words exchanged. The older gentleman went back to his machine at the other end and when the younger gentleman passed by him, he proceeded to charge at him and kick him in the chest,” said Dep. Chief Jeff Gillen, of the Groveland Police Department.

Police said the suspect took off with a little girl who was with him.

Frank and Michelle Leighton, who own the restaurant next door to the laundromat, noticed a man acting suspiciously.

“I knew it was the guy they were looking for,” Frank Leighton said.

O’Ryan left his wet clothes in the washer and came back to get them.

“He went over to the washer and he just kind of took all the wet clothes out as quickly as possible,” Michelle Leighton said.

They couple got a license plate number and called police.

Police said the reporter actually turned himself in. He is not being held, but he does face up to 10 years behind bars.

The Herald would not comment.

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