A 59-year-old man has been charged with robbery after he allegedly tried to use an expired "free cone" coupon to pay for an ice cream and punched the store worker who confronted him about the unpaid $3.50 as he left, police say.

Authorities say William Hotz walked into the Carvel on Dutch Broadway in Valley Stream on Long Island Wednesday morning and ordered an ice cream cone.



The 55-year-old store employee handed him his scoop, and Hotz presented a "One Free Ice Cream Cone" coupon that had expired.

When the employee pointed out the expiration date and asked him to pay, Hotz allegedly turned around and walked toward the door. The worker confronted him outside the store, at which point Hotz allegedly punched her several times in the face, giving her a cut lip and swelling.

Police responded and tried to take Hotz into custody, but he allegedly resisted, flailing his arms and twisting his body out of their' reach. Eventually, he was placed in handcuffs and arrested on robbery and resisting arrest charges.

The store worker declined medical treatment.

Hotz is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. Information on an attorney wasn't immediately available.