Youths beat Sandusky man, leave him lying in street

An assault by a group of youths late Saturday night left a Sandusky man in the street near his house with a severe head wound, according to Sandusky police.Rocco Marinucci, 35, was in stable condition Sunday in the intensive care unit of Firelands Regional Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said.No arrests had been made in the case as of Sunday afternoon, but police have identified at least one suspect.Marinucci suffered a serious head injury, a gash in his leg and bruises all over his body, said Amy Barnett, 35, Sandusky, his longtime girlfriend.Barnett said that at about 11 p.m. Marinucci confronted a group of noisy youths at the corner of Ging and Townsend streets near the couple's home and asked them to leave. They started saying things to Barnett and Marinucci's son, who is 13."The next thing I know, 15 kids are on top of my boyfriend, beating him," Barnett said."They left him half dead laying in the middle of the street," she said. "I chased after them. We called the police. An ambulance came."A report filed by Officer Erik Mohr states that a call came in to police at 11:30 p.m.Mohr found Marinucci on the ground on Townsend Street, just off of Columbus.The injured man was helped to his feet and said at first he did not need medical attention, but then began complaining he felt lightheaded and dizzy. The Sandusky Fire Department took him to Firelands, where doctors discovered Marinucci had a serious head wound.Prosecutors were notified, and a charge of felonious assault was prepared. The report identifies a youth, 14 years old, who allegedly participated in the assault.No arrests had been made as of Sunday afternoon but police work in the case is continuing, Sgt. Rich Braun said.Marinucci has had trouble resting and eating but was able to take some French fries Sunday afternoon, Barnett said. A CAT scan is planned on Monday, she said. Doctors believe his brain is bleeding in three places, she said.Marinucci is a cook at Ruby Tuesday, Barnett said.Barnett said the attack left her afraid for her family's safety."I can't stay here," she said. "I don't know what they'll do to my house or what they'll do to my child."