WINTHROP, MASS. (WHDH) - A Lynn man accused of assaulting a woman in Winthrop while his young daughter was in the car pleaded not guilty in court Friday.
Police said Gerardo Portillo drove up to the 25-year-old woman walking alone Monday night and asked her if she would like to get in his car. The woman said no and police said she kept walking and changed direction to avoid him.
A few minutes later, Portillo allegedly approached the woman on Revere Street from behind on foot. Police said he asked her again to come with him and she again refused several times. Portillo then allegedly shoved her to the ground and she suffered several fractures to bones in her face.
“A witness came in and asked for a cup of ice because the victim was outside, bleeding and sitting down on the ground,” said Brandon Vinciguerra, who working at a nearby 7-Eleven.
Police believe the woman’s screams scared Portillo off and he drove away. The woman and a witness at 7-Eleven managed to get his license plate number and they gave the information to police. Portillo was arrested at his home in Lynn.
He faces a number of charges, including kidnapping and assault with intent to rape. He was also charged with child endangerment because police said his 3-year-old daughter was in the backseat of his car the whole time.
“It makes it alarming for us that he had total disregard for what his daughter was witnessing and seeing and had total disrespect for women in general,” said Winthrop Police Chief Terrence Delehanty.
Portillo was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing. Police are asking if anyone else believes they were approached by Portillo to contact them.
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