

SPRINGFIELD — Police charged a 45-year-old city man with attempted murder early Sunday after he allegedly attacked and choked a woman in the Six Corners neighborhood while out on their first date.



Sgt. John M. Delaney said the suspect became enraged when the woman spurned his attempt to kiss her while they were on the way home.



"He grabbed her by the neck and started to punch her," Delaney said, adding that the woman, who was starting to feel light-headed, managed to break free and get out of the suspect's pickup truck near 249 Union St.



The assault continued outside of the pickup and police received at least two 911 calls reporting that a man was assaulting a woman.



Responding police officers saw the suspect holding the woman by her neck and repeatedly punching her in the head with a closed fist, Delaney said.



The suspect, seeing the officers, ceased the attack and started to walk away, Delaney said, adding that the suspect was then arrested without incident. The woman declined medical treatment at the scene.



Pedro Luis Rojas, of 30 Prince St., was charged with assault and battery and attempted murder (aggravated assault), police documents state. Rojas and the victim became acquainted while taking the same class at a local college, Delaney said.

Rojas denied the charges during his arraignment in District Court and was ordered held in lieu of $500 cash bail. A pretrial hearing was set for Jan. 8.



The incident was not the suspect's first brush with the law. Delaney said Rojas was one of 13 men arrested by Springfield police during a sting operation on Sept. 22, 2011 in which a female undercover officer posted as a prostitute and solicited potential customers.

