VERO BEACH — A 46-year-old drunk man was arrested after he beat a 60-year-old disabled woman in a wheelchair, deputies said.
Christopher Micheal Tuliano, of the 1100 block of 17th Place, Vero Beach, was charged with abuse of elderly or disabled, battery and resisting arrest without violence. He is being held at the Indian River County Jail on $26,000 bond.
Christopher Tuliano
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies responded to the scene shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 1100 block of Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach. Deputies saw a man later identified as Tuliano walking across the street.
In an attempt to check on the welfare of the woman inside, deputies told Tuliano to come back to the home and unlock the door. Tuliano walked back over, unlocked the door and then ran inside the home.
Deputies grabbed Tuliano from behind and forced him to the ground, where he was placed in handcuffs. They smelled a strong odor of alcohol on Tuliano’s breath and it became apparent he was intoxicated, deputies said.
After putting Tuliano in the back of the patrol car, deputies spoke with the woman inside, who was on the floor and unable to get up following the physical altercation. The woman was bleeding from a 3-inch cut on the inside of her left forearm.
She told deputies she was lying on her bed when Tuliano “snapped.” Details on the relationship between Tuliano and the woman were not available.
The woman said Tuliano grabbed her by her throat and said “I’m going to kill you. I hate women.” She said she almost lost consciousness when Tuliano was squeezing her neck.
She also told deputies Tuliano slammed her head against the wall repeatedly and pushed her to the ground. Other than the cut on her arm, deputies were unable to find any other markings consistent with the physical abuse the woman claimed.
Tuliano denied the abuse and said he had no idea how the woman got her injuries, deputies said. He was arrested and taken to the county jail for booking.
