By: Richard L. Smith
Wayne police arrested a Paterson man after he allegedly attacked his ex-girlfriend, shattered her windshield, and struck her with his vehicle in a hotel parking lot, leaving her unconscious.
The incident took place in the early morning hours at the Quality Inn on Route 46. Officers responding to the scene found the suspect, later identified as Rafael Rodriguez Peralta, 42, of Paterson, attempting to flee.
Officer Adrian Valentin stopped Peralta, who refused to cooperate with the investigation.
As police detained Peralta, the victim’s current boyfriend approached and told officers that Peralta had smashed the woman’s windshield with a rock.
He then directed officers to the victim, who was found lying unconscious on the pavement but still breathing.
Once she regained consciousness, the woman told police that Peralta had approached her and her boyfriend in a fit of rage, grabbed her phone, and then used a rock to smash her car’s windshield.
As he attempted to drive away, she tried to stop him, at which point he allegedly struck her with his car, causing her to hit her head on the pavement and lose consciousness.
Lieutenant Lex Deluccia later reviewed security footage from the hotel, which confirmed that Peralta had struck the victim with his vehicle.
Officers also discovered that he was in possession of the victim’s cellphone at the time of his arrest.
Peralta has been charged with aggravated assault with a weapon, assault by auto, endangering an injured victim, theft, and criminal mischief.
He was booked on a warrant and transferred to the Passaic County Jail, where he is being held pending a detention hearing.
