A Waterbury man and staff member at a facility that helps non-verbal special needs adults has been arrested for physically assaulting a student.

Andre Dickens, 53, was arrested Tuesday afternoon at ICES, a vocational rehabilitation program that provides supported living services for adults with disabilities.

Police say Dickens was sitting across the room from a 41-year-old non-verbal student when he provokingly beat the student with a metal cane.

Dickens hit the student several times, causing lacerations and facial injuries to the student.

Dickens originally told staff members the student tripped and fell and drove them to Bridgeport Hospital to receive medical treatment.

He later returned to the facility while the student received care.

Police say Dickens was later questioned and informed authorities he did not strike the student, but chased them around while holding his cane.

However, video recording and the department's investigation proved otherwise.

Dickens was charged with assault and was held on $20,000 bond.

He is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on July 16.

Statement from Chet Doheny, executive director and chairman, ICES, Inc: "Nothing is more important to us than the safety, care and well-being of our residents and day program participants, and we are outraged that any of our employees would harm someone in our care. We immediately reported the incident, involving an adult male in our program, to the Trumbull Police Department and the Department of Developmental Services and are fully participating in the investigation. The employee in question and three others have been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the investigation's conclusion. This kind of behavior is unimaginable and goes against everything we stand for as a company in terms of our culture, values and the standard of care we provide each day to the people we serve."