STONINGTON, Conn. (WHDH/AP) — A New York couple accused of assaulting a hotel worker in Mystic, Connecticut while hurling racial slurs at her has been arrested.
Philip Sarner and Emily Orbay were found in Brooklyn and taken into custody on arrest warrants by U.S. marshals, according to Stonington police.
They will be extradited to Connecticut, where Sarner will face charges of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and intimidation based on bigotry and bias, and Orbay will face charges of two counts of third-degree assault and intimidation based on bigotry and bias.
Sarner and Orbay are accused of attacking Crystal Caldwell, a 59-year-old Black desk clerk at a Quality Inn, on June 26 after complaining about a lack of hot water in their room.
The white couple allegedly Caldwell a monkey and punched her in the face.
After being separated by other hotel employees, Caldwell told police she went to put ice on her injured face and was attacked again, knocked to the ground and kicked in the ribs.
All three people were taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, where police said they were unable to monitor the couple.
Sarner and Orbay later returned to the hotel, retrieved their car, and left the state before they could be arrested, police said.
The incident prompted a June 29 demonstration outside the Stonington Police Department, with about a dozen protesters demanding justice for Caldwell.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)