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At approximately 4:35 a.m. on Feb. 2, multiple Wayne Police Officers responded to the Quality Inn on Route 46 for reports of a man vandalizing a vehicle, police said. Officer Adrian Valentin arrived to find the suspect attempting to leave the scene and stopped him, authorities said.
While the suspect refused to cooperate, a second man—the victim’s current boyfriend—approached and told officers the suspect had smashed the woman’s windshield with a rock, police said. The woman was found unconscious but breathing in the parking lot, authorities said.
When she regained consciousness, the victim told officers that the suspect had confronted her and her boyfriend in a rage, thrown her cellphone, and shattered her windshield, police said. As he attempted to drive away, the victim tried to stop him, but he struck her with his car, causing her head to hit the pavement and knocking her unconscious, authorities said.
Lt. Lex Deluccia reviewed hotel surveillance footage, which confirmed that the suspect hit the victim with his vehicle, police said.
The suspect, identified as Rafael Rodriguez Peralta, 42, of Paterson, was arrested and found in possession of the victim’s cellphone, authorities said. He was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon, assault by auto, endangering an injured victim, theft, and criminal mischief, police said.
Rodriguez Peralta was taken to Passaic County Jail pending a detention hearing, authorities said.
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