MIDDLETOWN -- A man with a lengthy criminal history is facing felony assault charges for allegedly hitting another man with a rock in the area of 64 Washington St. Monday morning.

Shortly after fleeing the scene of the alleged attack, Robert A. Chisem, 42, 17 Prospect St., was tracked down by a police K-9 unit in the area of Main and Green streets around 6:32 a.m.

According to various witnesses as well as statements from the victim, Chisem reportedly blindsided the victim and hit him in the head with a rock. After being struck, the man told police he saw Chisem jumping up and down and yelling, "Yeah, I did it and I'll do it again." The victim told police he believed Chisem was angry with him for not hanging out anymore, according to the arrest report.

Chisem denied any involvement in the assault, police said. However, due to the many witnesses, as well as footprints leading away from the scene and directly to the suspect, Chisem was charged with second-degree assault.

He was arraigned Monday in Middletown Superior Court. Bond was set at $25,000. Chisem's case was continued to Nov. 2, at which time he will also face several charges stemming from various arrests.

Chisem's most recent arrest came in August after he was witnessed by narcotics officers walking on Ferry Street in the North End of Middletown.

Police say he quickly walked away, but was later found on Alsop Avenue talking to Portia Jones, 32, who lives on the street. As officers approached, Chisem walked toward them with his fist clenched in his pocket. He turned and dropped a white rock-like substance into the grass, which later tested positive for crack cocaine, according to the arrest report. He was also found with a crack pipe.

Jones was asked to remove her jacket and police saw a smoking pipe sticking out of her bra and a cigarette box with another used pipe. A police dog found a small amount of cocaine on the ground. Jones admitted they both smoke it, according to the report.

Both were arrested for possession of narcotics and use of drug paraphernalia.

He was also arrested in May for allegedly stealing from parked cars. Chisem was detained by police after they responded to a parking lot on Broad Street. A security guard at a nearby building saw a man matching Chisem's description going through cars in the parking lot, police said.

Police recognized the suspect from previous encounters. Police searched the suspect and found a wallet containing a driver's license, two debit cards, a credit card and social security card. The wallet had been reported stolen a few days earlier, police said. Chisem told police the wallet was stolen by someone else, who then gave it to him, however, the suspect could not provide police with an answer when asked why he accepted stolen items, according to the arrest report.

Chisem was charged with credit card theft and sixth-degree larceny for that incident.

Chisem has 30 arrests on his record, police said, and he is currently on parole. He has been arrested for larceny, robbery, burglary, issuing a bad check, assault, drug sale and possession, trespass and forgery.

Walt Gogolya can be reached by e-mail at wgogolya@middletownpress.com. Text MIDNEWS to 22700 to get news alerts directly to your cell phone. Standard message and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.