A 69-year-old man is accused of approaching a boy on a street corner and trying to put a chemical-laced handkerchief over the boy’s mouth.

Dorchester man Willie Cowart has been charged with trying to place a handkerchief soaked with an unknown liquid over the 14-year-old boy’s mouth.

Boston and MBTA Police responded to an assault and battery call at the corner of Dudley and Washington streets in Roxbury last Monday at 12:21 p.m.

Officers spoke to the boy who told them he was waiting for his brother to pick him up when an older man wearing a Hawaiian shirt approached him, poured an unknown liquid on a red handkerchief, and tried to put the handkerchief over his mouth.

The boy fled to the Nubian Square bus station and contacted police.

Shortly after, officers on Dudley Street saw a man — later identified as Cowart — wearing a Hawaiian shirt and carrying a red handkerchief. Cowart, who was sweating profusely, denied knowing the boy or having any interaction with him.

The boy positively identified Cowart during a show-up procedure. The boy was evaluated on scene by Boston EMS.

Officers searched Cowart’s vehicle and found several chemical cleaning agents inside the car.

Police arrested Cowart without incident.

“This is a strange, and extremely disturbing, set of facts,” Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden said in a statement. “It doesn’t take much imagination to appreciate how frightening it was for this young man to be standing on a street corner and suddenly be accosted in such a bizarre manner. I’m grateful that he suffered no apparent injuries.”

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Cowart was charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (chemical handkerchief).

The judge ordered Cowart held without bail pending a hearing this Friday for appointment of counsel.