MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Beach Police have arrested a homeless man and charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against two women.
The incident occurred in the area of 41st Street and Sheridan Avenue, shortly before 1:15 p.m., Tuesday.
According to police, 51-year-old Roberto Zavala allegedly threw a large rock at two women as they walked along the sidewalk.
According to the arrest report, Latoya Hardnett, one of the victims, said that Zavala approached her while on her lunch break and shouted racial slurs at her.
Hardnett, who was familiar with the suspect because police Baker Acted him several times for his violent behavior, tried to defend herself by telling him to stay back.
Then Zavala picked up a large rock from the street and struck Hardnett in the head and hit the second victim on her upper left arm.
“He grabbed the rock and hit me in my head and went walking to that area,” she said. “He called me all type of n-bitches. He was calling me a [expletive] bitch, a [expletive] bitch. When I turned around, I just told him, ‘Leave me alone.’ My cup is still here that I threw at him.”
Christian Sivori, the valet from Hardnett’s building, stepped in to help her.
“I put in front of her, and the guy tried to attack me, too,” he said. “I see in the hand he has a rock and tries to attack me two times.”
While Hardnett called the police, Sivori followed him as he fled eastbound on 41st Street, until police arrested him on Collins Avenue.
Zavala appeared before a judge on Wednesday, was granted a $30,000 bond and ordered to stay away from the victims.
Should he return to Hardnett’s neighborhood, she said she knows she has a friend to help her out.
“If it wasn’t for the valet, it probably would have been worse than what it was,” Hardnett said. “It’s crazy, and it’s hurtful. It just was a scary situation for me. In 2020, you should know better.”
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