Homeless Man Charged After Assault Ends In Death: Cops

RIVERHEAD, NY —A homeless man was arrested after an assault led to death in Riverhead, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, Daniel Hughes, 38, punched Wayne Sapiane, 65, who was also undomiciled but living in Riverside, in the head on Jan. 2 in the area of West Main Street.

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives arrested Hughes on Tuesday and charged him with second degree assault, police said. He will be held overnight at the 7th Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverhead Town Justice Court on Wednesday, police said..

Sapiane died on January 5 after reporting he was in an earlier altercation in the Riverhead, police said. Southampton Town and Riverhead Town police both responded to the incident.

Sapiane was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, and later to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, where he died, police said.