Assault suspect posts bail

The man arrested for assaulting a Penn Law School student Tuesday posted bail the following day after being charged with aggravated assault and robbery, Philadelphia Police Department officials said. William Gurganious, 43, of the 1400 block of North 53rd Street, allegedly beat the 33-year-old Law student Tuesday afternoon with a three- or four-foot pipe in the Franklin Building parking lot near the corner of 36th and Walnut streets before fleeing with the student's wrist watch. University Police arrested him within minutes. The victim struggled with his assailant after being struck once in the face. A deliveryman for Lee's Hoagie House, Donald Klipstein, saw the melee and attempted to wrestle the man to the ground. Klipstein said yesterday that he "held on to him for 15 or 30 seconds," in an effort to at least slow the assailant down before the police could respond, but the assailant slipped out of his grip. Rather than running from the scene, the man walked away slowly, Klipstein said, apparently trying to blend into the lunchtime crowd. Klipstein, 37, called police from a nearby blue-light phone, but they were already on the way. Two officers arrived at the scene and arrested Gurganious inside the Mellon Bank next to the parking lot. Klipstein said he made his delivery inside the Franklin Building and when he got back outside the alleged assailant was already in handcuffs. After identifying Gurganious as his assailant, the victim was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and treated for facial lacerations. Gurganious, meanwhile, was taken to the Southwest Detectives bureau at 55th and Pine streets for arraignment. The watch was recovered from the ground of the parking lot. Philadelphia Police declined to give the amount of Gurganious' bail.

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