President of Hublot Latin America accused of beating wife

Pieric de la Croix punched, choked wife in front of son, police say

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The regional president of a Swiss watch company is accused of assaulting his wife at their South Florida home.

Pieric "Rick" de la Croix, 46, is president of the Latin America division of Hublot, an official sponsor of the Miami Heat.

Police said de la Croix repeatedly punched and choked his wife in front of their son inside their Coral Gables estate Easter Sunday.

According to the police report, after his wife tried to free herself and call police, de la Croix held her down and continued to punch her.

Nobody answered the door at de la Croix's home.

"Respectfully, this is a family matter and the allegations by law enforcement are greatly exaggerated," de la Croix's attorney, Michael Grieco, told Local 10. "I am confident that this matter will be resolved in our favor. My client asks that his family's privacy be respected."

De la Croix faces charges of child abuse, false imprisonment and domestic strangulation.