The man accused of assaulting a nurse inside her home Friday was arrested the previous night in Lakewood — where police had sent him to the caregiver’s hospital for a mental evaluation, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Leonardo Larrarte, 37, was charged with simple assault by the Lakewood police after he had an altercation with his roommate, Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said. Larrarte was sent to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood for a psych evaluation, according to Kudrick. The simple assault charge is a disorderly offense and does not require the defendant to be jailed.
Kudrick said Larrarte had a brief interaction with the nurse who Larrarte would track down at her home.
After Larrarte was released from the hospital, he walked six miles from his residence on Oak Street in Lakewood to the nurse’s house on Newtons Corner Road in the Ramtown section of Howell, Kudrick said.
The chief said police do not yet know how Larrarte found the nurse’s residence.
Larrarte arrived at the home Friday around 3:30 p.m. After knocking on the door, Larrarte was let in the house by the victim’s 64-year-old mother, police said.
The nurse immediately recognized the man from the hospital, police said, and demanded he leave. That’s when things got “violent,” police said.
Larrarte wouldn’t leave. He claimed the nurse was his wife and told her that if she didn’t leave with him, he’d kill her mother, according to police.
Larrarte assaulted the mother and then went after the nurse, police said. The nurse tried to fend off Larrarte with a kitchen knife, but he avoided being stabbed, according to police. He then punched and choked the woman until she fought him off and he ran away, police said.
A friend upstairs who heard the commotion called 911.
Sgt. Nicholas Bondarew and his K-9, Vito, found Larrarte and arrested him. He was charged by Howell police with attempted kidnapping, burglary, terroristic threats, simple assault and possession of synthetic marijuana.
The victim and her mother were treated at a local hospital and released.
Larrarte was taken to the Monmouth County jail where he awaits a court hearing.
“Our homes are our sanctuary. A place that should always be safe,” Kudrick said in a statement. “No one should have to go through such a traumatic, life-altering incident such as this.
"Fortunately, she fought back and refused to quit. As a result she survived. Predators such as Larrarte should never be allowed to see another day of freedom to victimize another innocent person.”
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Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com.