A 22-year-old New Jersey man assaulted four women in a string of random attacks in Nutley, police said.
Quinn Mayweather, of East Orange, was arrested Monday by cops in Belleville who pursued him in an allegedly stolen Hyundai Sonata until he crashed, Nutley police said in a statement.
Mayweather allegedly approached a 31-year-old woman at about 4:45 p.m. as she walked in Nutley and asked if he could talk to her. He then punched her in the face when she said no, police said.
Minutes later, Mayweather approached a 60-year-old woman and demanded that she allow him to use her phone, police said.
The woman declined Mayweather’s request, prompting him to threaten to assault her by “making a fist and swinging several times” and leaving her with minor injuries when she fell, police said.
The alleged spree continued at Franklin and Chestnut streets in Nutley, where Mayweather grabbed a 45-year-old woman from behind and put her in a chokehold, police said.
Mayweather let the woman go when she screamed for her husband, investigators said.
Mayweather then crossed the street and assaulted his fourth victim, a 35-year-old woman, by punching her in the face as she was about to go into a nail salon, police said.
Cops in Belleville later located the Sonata using a description of Mayweather and the vehicle, which had been reported stolen in East Orange earlier that day, Nutley police said.
“Four women walking at separate locations, minding their own business, all assaulted for no reason is not something we see very often,” Police Chief Thomas Strumbolo said in a statement. “Nevertheless, when things like this happen our officers jump into action and do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens in this town.”
None of the women were seriously hurt, police said. Authorities did not indicate what they believe motivated the string of alleged assaults.
“The man was obviously upset and took his aggression out on innocent, vulnerable women,” Nutley Police Director Alphonse Petracco said in a statement.
Mayweather, who was charged with simple assault and aggravated assault in the alleged attacks, remained in custody without bond Wednesday at an Essex County jail, online records show.