New Charges Against Man Accused of Beating Woman in City Park

A city man faces additional charges in connection with a woman who was beaten in a park on West Avenue in March.

Police took Emmanuel Montanez into custody Thursday on a warrant charging him with second-degree assault and breach of peace.

Montanez is accused of attacking a 53-year-old woman in Fera Park on March 8. The woman told police she was sitting on a bench when her attacker came from behind and began punching her.

Following the attack, police said the woman was taken to Norwalk Hospital with severe facial injuries. They said she could not identify her assailant.

Montanez was arrested after the attack, but only because of his behavior when police encountered him.

Initally unaware of the assault, police were dispatched to the area of the park at 12:29 p.m. on a report of a man darting in and out of traffic. When officers  arrived, they encountered a man, later identified as Montanez, only wearing underwear.

Police said Montanez was aggravated, grunting and waving his fist, and told them he took off his clothes because he was “hot and angry.”

Montanez, who is 24 years old and lives at 8 Davenport St., was handcuffed and put into a patrol car.

As this was occurring, an officer came across the assault victim and radioed for an ambulance.

Following his arrest, police said Montanez was asked about the assault and replied he’d never been in the park. The officer who spoke with him noted in his report he never mentioned a park, police said.

Police reported Montanez had blood and abrasions on his left hand he allegedly said was because he had been doing pushups, karate kicks and aerobics.

During a news briefing the following Friday morning, police said Montanez underwent a lengthy interview with detectives, during which he denied attacking the woman. Sgt. James Walsh told reporters Montanez became aggravated with the detectives because of “racial issues.”

One of the detectives who questioned him is black.

Montanez was charged with second-degree breach of peace, first-degree threatening and intimidation based on bigotry. He was held overnight on $10,000 bond and arraigned the day after the incident in state Superior Court in Norwalk.

At his arraignment, Montanez's public defender, James LaMontagne, told Judge Bruce P. Hudock that Montanez has "psychological issues." Hudock ordered Montanez undergo a mental health appraisal. 

Friday afternoon, Det. Sgt. Thomas Fern said police were able to obtain an arrest warrant specifically accusing Montanez of attacking the woman based on a account provided by a witness who observed the attack.

After police executed the warrant, Montanez was held on a $50,000 court set bond. He was arraigned Friday in state Superior Court in Norwalk.