Unwelcome Visitor Turns Violent (Image Credits: Unsplash)
New York City – A dedicated 71-year-old doorman sustained severe injuries in the early hours of March 8 when he refused entry to a stranger at a residential building on West 88th Street near Broadway.[1][2] Known to tenants as George, Nicolaie Lica performed his routine duties in the lobby around midnight, a role he had filled since 1998. The unprovoked assault shocked residents of the Upper West Side property and highlighted vulnerabilities faced by building staff.
Unwelcome Visitor Turns Violent
Moshe Dardashty, 29, entered the lobby and requested access to a seventh-floor apartment. Lica initially pointed him toward the elevators but soon recalled a warning from a coworker about the man.[1] He pursued Dardashty and intercepted him, explaining that entry was not permitted.
Lica recounted the moment in detail during an interview. “Sir, I’m very, very sorry. I cannot permit you to go up,” he stated politely.[1] The refusal enraged the intruder, who suddenly lunged forward. Lica attempted to retreat but found himself cornered near the elevators.
Harrowing Struggle and Injuries
The attack escalated rapidly as Dardashty pushed Lica to the ground and hurled a metal ramp at his face. The impact shattered the bone beneath his left eye and broke his nose.[1] The assailant then jumped on the fallen doorman, delivering repeated blows that damaged three vertebrae on the right side of his spine…