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Suspect Assumes False Identity, Released From Custody
By
Ben Muessig
Published Feb 10, 2010
Modified Feb 10, 2010
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By
Ben Muessig
Published Feb 10, 2010
Modified Feb 10, 2010
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A man suspected of beating his girlfriend and assaulting a police officer escaped from a Bronx court yesterday when he pretended to be another prisoner facing lesser charges. Michael Bautista, 22, was mistakenly released after assuming the identity of man accused of driving with a suspended license and was allowed to walk out of the 44th Precinct on East 161st Street after his arraignment at around 10 am.
The Post reports that Bautista is accused of kicking down the door of his girlfriend's Castle Hill apartment and punching her in the face, then destroying her property. He later returned to threaten the woman, and when police arrived he allegedly resisted arrest and assaulted an officer. According to WPIX, Bautista is described as about 6'0'' tall, 180 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of a red scorpion holding a heart with letters on the left side of his neck, and a tattoo of a star on the right side. Police are urging anyone with information to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
Earlier this year, a suspect was caught on video escaping from a perp walk outside of Staten Island's 120th Precinct. Last September, a prisoner escaped from a Manhattan criminal court by using his professional attire to pretend he was a lawyer.
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