Thug with long criminal record attacks 64-year-old ex-girlfriend in supermarket; When the Good Samaritan tries to intervene, the attacker knocks him unconscious: Authorities

A Florida man with a long criminal history attacked his 64-year-old ex-girlfriend in a supermarket on Saturday – and when a good Samaritan tried to intervene, the attacker knocked him unconscious, authorities said.

What are the details?

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Jose Chaidez, 35, of Haines City, threatened the woman with a butcher knife, hit her with the knife, punched her and pulled her hair at the J and S Food Mart in the 3000 block of East Hinson Avenue in Haines City just after 4 p.m. 8 p.m. Saturday.

A 43-year-old Haines City man who saw the violence and the suspect’s attempt to take the woman out of the store tried to intervene, authorities said. But Chaidez overpowered the man and punched him repeatedly in the head as he lay unconscious on the floor of the store, the sheriff’s office said.

Chaidez then punched another man and left the store before officers and emergency medical services arrived, authorities said, adding that officers were unable to locate Chaidez after an extensive search for him.

Authorities said the good Samaritan was hospitalized in critical condition but is improving and expected to recover.

The second man Chaidez hit was not seriously injured and also left the store before officers could identify or question him, the sheriff’s office said.

Chaidez was wanted after the attack on charges of attempted second-degree murder, armed burglary with bodily harm, burglary with bodily harm, criminal mischief and stalking, the sheriff’s office said.

Jose ChaidezImage source: Polk County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities added that Chaidez’s criminal history includes aggravated assault with a weapon, aggravated domestic violence, kidnapping/false imprisonment, resisting an officer without violence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, hit-and-run and assault.

“Anyone who beat a 64-year-old woman and then recklessly beat a man who was trying to help a woman in distress is a threat and must be locked up,” said Sheriff Grady Judd.

Caught!

The sheriff’s office said in an update Wednesday that Chaidez was arrested in Lake County. “At this time, we do not have specific details regarding his arrest,” the sheriff’s office added. “He will be booked into the Lake County Jail and will be returned to Polk County in the near future.”

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