WALLINGFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut nurse who happened to visit a home at the right moment helped rescue a woman from a vicious beating, police said.
On November 5, a nurse was visiting a Wallingford home when she noticed a woman in the home had bruising on her face. A 43-year-old man, who police identified as Michael Moccio, was in the home as well. Police did not specify what, if any relationship the woman has to Moccio.
When the nurse was leaving, she heard a commotion, and then heard the woman yelling for help.
The nurse ran back inside, pulled the victim from the home and called 911. As they were escaping, Moccio allegedly followed, yelling threats at the nurse that he’d kill her. He then jumped in a car and sped off, nearly hitting the nurse with his car.
The victim later told the nurse she had been kept in a single room all night by Moccio, who threatened and hit her repeatedly, leading to the bruising on her face and a cut on her ear. She said that Moccio ordered her to put on makeup in the morning to cover the bruising from the nurse, but the nurse noticed it anyway.
Police issued a warrant for Moccio’s arrest, but he couldn’t be found at first. While police searched for him, the victim called 911 twice because she thought she heard Moccio trying to break in.
Police say Moccio called them on November 8 to say he would not turn himself in, but they found him on Wednesday in New Britain and arrested him.
Moccio is charged with unlawful restraint in the first degree, assault in the third degree, threatening in the second degree, violation of a protective order, breach of peace in the second degree and possession of narcotics. He was released on $25,000 bond and is due in court on Thursday.
Moccio has another case pending from an assault on the same victim. That incident occurred July 18, and he was charged with assault in the third degree, strangulation in the third degree and breach of peace.
