Transit Police Arrest Suspect in Orange Line Assault

MBTA Transit Police Detectives have arrested a man they allege assaulted two women on an Orange Line train. The arrest came less than 24 hours after the T . MBTA Police fielded several tips which led to the arrest.

Police arrested Joseph Balistreri, 36, of Somerville and charged him with two counts of assault and battery, and one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, annoying and accosting others, and making threats of bodily harm, according to MBTA spokesman Joseph Pesaturo. The dangerous weapon in this case was a shod foot.

"The MBTA and its Transit Police Department thanks the public and the news media for its help in this matter," Pesaturo said in an e-mail sent late Saturday afternoon.

According to the Transit Police report of the Nov. 19 incident, police first met the victims at Ruggles station. The two women had signs of injuries and told police that a man assaulted them after he used homophobic and racist language towards them.

According to the report, the victims said a heavy set 6-foot-tall man in a black leather coat and grey Kangol hat approached them in the Sullivan Square T station, yelling profanities. He then kicked one of the women in the mouth, cutting her lip, and kicked the other in the chest.

He then spat in both their faces before running out of the station, according to the victims' statement in the report.

A review of T surveillance cameras showed a man at the Sullivan Square T station at the time of the attack who matched the description given by the victims. The man was seen jumping the turnstiles as he ran away. The Transit Police later released still photos of the man on a wanted poster, which was yesterday.

Balistreri is being held on $7,500 cash bail pending his arraignment on Monday in Charlestown District Court.