46 year old David Morales limped into Magistrate’s Court this morning but he wasn’t the complainant – he was the defendant. It was for his arraignment on charges of aggravated assault and harm for hitting a woman.
It all happened yesterday at the Popular Superstore on Central American Boulevard. The store’s security guard Wilworth pinto told police that at 8:10 am, Morales entered the store and attempted to kiss Wendy Rodriquez who was a customer in the store. Pinto says Rodriquez resisted and that is when a spurned David Morales punched her. Pinto says he then jumped in and that is when Moralez pulled out a machete. Apparently feeling threatened, Pinto then pulled out a stick and began beating Moralez until the police arrived. In court today, Moralez’s right eye was swollen, he had a big gash on his left leg and claimed that it was fractured.
Morales pleaded not guilty to the aggravated assault charge for pulling the machete on pinto. He attempted to plead guilty to harm for punching Wendy Rodriquez but Magistrate Kathleen Lewis rejected the guilty plea after he told her that he punched Wendy because she had plotted against him. He also did not dispute pinto’s version of the events – but did dispute the claim that he had a machete.
He was granted and met bail of one thousand dollars. The case was adjounred to September 28th. He was also advised to see a doctor.
