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The incident happened on Thursday, July 27 around 5:50 p.m., when Connecticut State Police received numerous 911 calls that reported an active assault occurring inside a Jeep traveling on Interstate 95 northbound in Greenwich in the area of Exit 5.
According to state police, the callers told troopers that the male passenger inside the Jeep was striking the driver, who was yelling to passing cars that they needed help.
The Jeep then continued traveling north on I-95 before pulling over on the right shoulder just before Exit 10 in Darien. Using traffic cameras owned by the state Department of Transportation, troopers were able to confirm the vehicle's location and saw a white man leave the Jeep, open the driver's side door, and reach inside.
Shortly after this, a second vehicle pulled over into the shoulder and a male passenger got out to begin speaking to the suspect as troopers arrived at the scene.
After authorities arrived, a witness to the incident said that they had seen the suspect strike the Jeep's driver and that they were visibly bleeding. They then continued and explained that the suspect had briefly walked away from the driver's side, at which point the Jeep's driver had locked all of the car doors.
The suspect had then been unsuccessfully trying to open the driver's side door when troopers arrived, the witness added.
When authorities went over to talk to the suspect, they found him standing at the driver's door. He then indicated to troopers that the driver was bleeding and explained that a verbal argument had happened between the two before they had pulled over.
When the responding troopers approached the driver, they saw that her face was bleeding and that a small uninjured child was seated in the back of the Jeep.
The driver then told troopers that the suspect had caused their injuries by intentionally hitting them in the face. Based on this, authorities determined that the circumstances met the legal criteria for a domestic violence incident.
Troopers then sent for first responders, who brought the driver and the small child to an area hospital.
The suspect, identified as White Plains resident Michael Arciuolo, age 44, was taken into custody and charged with:
- Second-degree assault;
- Two counts of reckless endangerment;
- Risk of injury to a child.
Arciuolo was held on a $25,000 cash/surety bond before being taken to Bridgeport Correctional Center. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Stamford Superior Court on Friday, July 28.
State police thanked the witnesses who had reported the incident to them.
"Thanks to fellow motorists who took action by immediately reporting their observations to 911, State Police were able to quickly respond and reduce the risk of serious injury to the victims and other members of the public," police said.
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