Attacker Breaks Jaw of Long Island Utility Worker

Nearly 20,000 Long Island residents remained without power as of this morning, reports AP, and a utility worker has paid the price for people's frustration. An assailant got out of his car and sucker-punched John Applewhite as Applewhite headed into a restaurant after a 16-hour shift with the Long Island Power Authority, reports MyFoxNY. The 34-year-old suffered a broken jaw and cracked cheekbone and will need reconstructive surgery.

A co-worker who jumped in to help ended up with a bite wound on his hand. Insult to injury: The pair live and work in Florida, but came north to help the LIPA in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The assailant, who had asked about the power situation from his car in a seemingly pleasant way, got away. "Just as soon as I got within arm's reach of him, he decked me," Applewhite says. (More Long Island stories.)