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Bystanders intervene after man assaults local woman at Kroger

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@thecitizennews.com

Two bystanders pulled a Fayetteville man away from a woman he attacked as she exited a local grocery store Monday, police said.

Edwin Rodriguez, 21, was held at bay at the Banks Crossing Kroger until a nearby sheriff’s deputy responded to handcuff him, said Lt. Beverly Trainor of the Fayetteville Police Department.

Rodriguez has been charged with one felony count of robbery and one misdemeanor count of battery. Police said he took the 56-year-old woman’s car keys as she exited the store, and he also “struck her repeatedly in her head, face and back.”

“The two witnesses heard her screaming and got him off of her,” Trainor said.

The victim was treated at Southern Regional Hospital for her injuries and later released.

Rodriguez was ordered held without bond by Fayette County Chief Magistrate Charles R. Floyd, who also ordered a psychological evaluation.

Trainor said officers noted when questioning Rodriguez that he seemed “disconnected from the incident” and couldn’t answer the simplest of questions. A medical screening revealed no drugs or alcohol present in Rodriguez’ system that might explain the outburst, Trainor added.