BUFFALO, N.Y. — A man accused of assaulting a woman and also trying to steal an 80-year-old woman's purse has been indicted.
Michael Sawyer,32, is facing several charges stemming from two different incidents.
He is facing the following charges:
- One count of assault in the first degree (class “B” violent felony)
- One count of attempted robbery in the first degree (class “C” violent felony)
- One count of robbery in the second degree (class “C” violent felony)
- One count of strangulation in the second degree (class “D” felony)
- One count of grand larceny in the fourth degree (class “E” felony)
- One count of assault in the third degree (class “A” misdemeanor)
- Two counts of endangering the welfare of a child (Class “A” misdemeanors)
- One count of tampering with a witness in the fourth degree (Class “A” misdemeanor)
- Four counts of criminal contempt in the second degree (Class “A” misdemeanors)
He's accused of attacking and strangling a woman at a home back on April 1.
Sawyer is accused of punching and slapping the victim during an argument at a home in Buffalo. Sawyer is accused of strangling the victim and throwing her to the floor in front of two children. He's also charged with taking her cell phone so she couldn't call for help and taking her keys and car without permission.
Police say a few days later he tried stealing an elderly woman's bag in a Tops parking lot at Harlem and Kensington. They say the woman was dragged when Sawyer tried driving away in the stolen car.
And both in March of this year and November of last year, Sawyer is accused of leading police on a high-speed chase and taking off after traffic stops.
If he is convicted of all of the charges he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.
