Police: Patchogue Man Punches Officer During Investigation

A Patchogue man punched a police officer while being questioned Tuesday morning on Bay Avenue, police said.

At approximately 8:43 a.m., Robert Marzocco, 41, was being questioned by police regarding a bulge in his jacket, which police suspected to be a weapon, when the Marzocco became violent, assaulted the officer and fled, police said.

Police caught up to Marzocco and arrested him about an hour later on charges of obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree and harassment in the second degree with physical contact.

Marzocco was not in possession of weapon when he was caught, police said.

A helicopter was called in during the search for Marzocco, police said. Patch readers who wrote in said they saw the helicopter in the area of .