SPARTA — A Hudson County man who is charged with punching an autistic woman while he worked as an instructor at a school for developmentally disabled adults was given some of his legal options today during a brief court hearing. Paul Rinaldi, 24, of Kearny, is accused of punching the African-American woman in the stomach at Willowglen Glen Academy...
Paul J. Rinaldi, 24, of Vernon, who is a former instructor at Willowglen Academy, a school for developmentally disabled people appears in Sparta Township Municipal Court. Rinaldi is charged with punching a 35-year-old African-American woman who has autism in the stomach in the presence of another female staff member. SPARTA — A Hudson County man who is charged with punching an autistic woman while he worked as an instructor at a school for developmentally disabled adults was given some of his legal options today during a brief court hearing.
Paul Rinaldi, 24, of Kearny, is accused of punching the African-American woman in the stomach at Willowglen Glen Academy in Sparta after making a racially derogatory remark, police said.
The unprovoked attack was witnessed by a female staff member at Willowglen who then reported the incident to police.
The attack caused the woman to double over and cry, but she did not suffer any serious injuries, police said.
Rinaldi, who was arrested Monday, is charged with bias intimidation, a fourth-degree crime, and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, a disorderly persons offense. A fourth-degree crime is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and $10,000 in fines.
Noting that bias intimidation is an indictable offense, Sparta Municipal Court Judge John Mulhern told Rinaldi that he could apply for a public defender or seek entry into the pre-trial intervention program, a probationary program for first-time, nonviolent offenders.
Rinaldi was not represented by an attorney in court and did not speak, other than to tell the judge that he no longer lived in Vernon Township but was now residing in Kearny.
Rinaldi, who was fired from his job shortly after the alleged incident, could not be reached for comment after the hearing.
The incident occurred about 5 p.m. on Sept. 22 in the gym at Willowglen Academy on Gail Court.
