Police: Middletown man allegedly scratched, bit woman

MIDDLETOWN— A Middletown man faces charges after he allegedly violated a previous restraining order and assaulted a woman, police said.

Michael Salvatore was arrested last week after police responded to a domestic incident call in Middletown, police said. According to police reports, the caller was a woman who said Salvatore had shown up to her apartment on Oct. 9 after drinking heavily.

The woman told police she had taken out a no-contact protective order against Salvatore two months earlier, the report said.

Police said they found the woman with injuries to the eye, neck and upper chest, which she said Salvatore had inflicted after she returned home in the evening on Oct. 9.

Salvatore had been asleep on the living room couch with a gallon of vodka next to him, the woman told police. When she tried to move the alcohol, Salvatore woke up and the pair fought until Salvatore attempted to take the alcohol into a bedroom, according to the police report.

When she followed him into the bedroom to remove the alcohol, Salvatore threw her on the bed and attempted to forcibly undress the woman while strangling her, according to the report. After more physical altercation, during which the woman kneed and scratched Salvatore in defense, Salvatore bit the woman on her face, according to her statement.

She was then able to run to another bedroom and lock the door while calling police, the report said.

Salvatore’s bail is set at $251,000. He has been charged with assault, unlawful restraint, criminal attempt to commit sexual assault and strangulation, among other charges, according to police.

Salvatore is being held on those charges along with prior outstanding warrants related to violation of probation and failure to appear.