WORCESTER (CBS) – Worcester’s top prosecutor now knows first-hand what it’s like to be the victim of a crime. “We deal with people it happens to every day, but this is the first time anyone’s tried to pull a wallet out of my hands,” says D.A. Joseph Early.

He was in line for a pizza-to-go at one of his favorite Worcester restaurants, Ciao Bella Sunday night. He took out his money to pay, and, “I saw a hand come over and grab it. I grabbed it back, lowered my shoulder and I just pushed him into the wall and then I turned to the counter and I said, ‘Look, I need some help. I’m being robbed.’”

As luck would have it, an off-duty court officer was also in line waiting for dinner. He jumped in to help. “We had him on the floor, and the Worcester Police were there shortly,” says Early.

27-year-old Jason Beaudreau from Worcester was arraigned Monday. He pleaded not guilty to assault and battery and unarmed robbery charges. Because of the conflict, Essex County prosecutors will handle the case.