MIAMI — A 40-year-old man is accused of randomly punching a woman in the face in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, leaving her with a fractured nose and facial injuries, according to police.
Jail records show Tavaris Dewand Greene, who is listed as homeless in his arrest report, was arrested on felony battery charge following the attack.
According to a Miami police arrest report, the assault happened shortly after noon Thursday near Southwest Eighth Street and 11th Avenue.
The victim told officers she was walking east on Southwest Eighth Street when a man, who police identified as Green, was walking in the opposite direction when he suddenly approached her and punched her in the face, authorities said.
They said she fell to the ground as Greene ran westbound.
Miami police said bystanders helped the woman and called 911.
The victim was taken to HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, where doctors said she suffered a fractured nose and a laceration to her left cheek that required stitches, according to the report.
Investigators said they canvassed the area and reviewed surveillance video from nearby businesses, which police said showed a man wearing a black hoodie and camouflage pants approaching the victim, punching her and fleeing.
Miami police said they spotted a man matching Greene’s description near Southwest 17th Avenue and Eighth Street and detained him.
Police said they were able to identify Greene as the suspect after an officer who works out of Little Havana recognized him from the surveillance images and “previous incidents,” the report states.
While at the Miami Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit office, Greene “spontaneously stated that he was fine but having a bad day because he punched someone,” according to the report.
Police said Greene later told detectives he punched someone earlier in the day, returned home, took a nap, smoked marijuana and was later detained by officers.
As of Friday morning, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set.”
A motive for the attack is unclear at this time.
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