News

1/2/2018 - PRESS RELEASE: Stamford Man Arrested For Multiple Assaults

 

Date:              January 2, 2018 

Incident:       Stamford Man Arrested For Multiple Assaults 

Issued by:     Lieutenant Jeremiah P. Marron Jr.

                                

 

 

Darien, CT – On December 8, 2017 at approximately 2:45 pm, Darien officers responded to an assault in progress in the Whole Foods Market parking lot located at 150 Ledge Rd.  Upon arrival, officers located a group of bystanders who were restraining a man who had reportedly assaulted two victims in the parking lot. 

 

The suspect, a Whole Foods Market employee, was identified as Derrick Gonzalez, age 27, of 47 Mulberry St. Stamford.  Gonzalez was very combative, was acting erratically and was screaming incoherently.  He was immediately handcuffed and restrained by officers.  At that point Gonzalez stated he couldn’t see anything and Darien EMS and paramedics were called to the scene.  Gonzalez was subsequently sedated by paramedics and would later admit to using marijuana laced with Phencyclidine (PCP). 

 

Investigation revealed that Gonzalez approached victim #1, another Whole Foods employee, in the parking lot of Whole Foods.  Victim #1, a 59 year old Norwalk man, was collecting shopping carts in the lot when Gonzalez approached him.  Victim #1 reported that Gonzalez grabbed his jacket with one hand and his groin with the other and forced him to the ground near a pile of rock salt.  Victim #1 then stated that Gonzalez repeatedly slammed his head into the pile of rock salt. 

 

At that point Victim #2, a 57 year old Stamford woman, had just parked her car in the Whole Foods lot and observed the two struggling.  She immediately attempted to intervene and yelled for Gonzalez to get off of victim #1.  Upon observing victim #2, Gonzalez ran towards her and began attacking her.  Victim #2 stated that Gonzalez knocked her to the ground, kicked her in the head, dragged her, jumped on top of her, pulled her hair and began to slam her head into the pile of rock salt.  After a period of time, bystanders observed what was going on and intervened by restraining Gonzalez and calling 911. 

 

Both victims sustained minor injuries.  It was also later determined that victim #1 is a protected party under Connecticut General Statute 53a-61a.  Both victims were transported to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.  During the entire incident, Gonzalez was screaming uncontrollably and continuously resisted officer’s attempts to detain him.  He was subsequently transported to the hospital for evaluation.

 

On 12/20/2017 Darien officers applied for and were granted a warrant for Gonzalez’s arrest.  On 01/02/2018 officers from the Darien Police Patrol Division, Selective Enforcement Unit and members of the Stamford Police Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit responded to Gonzalez’s residence and executed the warrant.  He was taken into custody without incident. 

 

He was then transported to Darien Police Headquarters and charged with:

 

·         Assault in the 3rd Degree of a Blind or Disabled Person

·         Assault in the 2nd Degree

·         Interfering With An Officer

·         Breach of Peace

 

Gonzalez was issued a $10,000.00 bond and is scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on January 15, 2018.  Gonzalez was unable to post bond and remains in the custody of the Darien Police Department.  No further information is being released at this time. 

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