September 23, 2008

Suspect in Bronx Beating Turns Himself In

By MICHAEL WILSON

One of two suspects in the baseball-bat beating of a Massachusetts radio talk-show host in the Bronx has been arrested, the police said on Monday.

The suspect was identified as Gavin Scott, 20, of 762 East 211th Street in the Bronx. The police said he was not the suspect who struck the victim, Pelagio De La Cruz, 52, in the head repeatedly with the bat in the Sept. 14 attack, which was captured on video. Instead, Mr. Scott is believed to be the suspect seen rifling the victim’s pockets after the attack, the police said.

Mr. Scott turned himself in on Sunday night, the police said. He was charged with attempted murder, assault, robbery and criminal possession of a weapon.

Mr. De La Cruz, who works for WESX-AM, a Spanish-language station in the Boston area, was in the Bronx visiting his children, who live with their mother on Davidson Avenue in University Heights, the police said. He was attacked at about 3:30 a.m. while trying to enter the building.

The video shows one man swinging the bat at Mr. De La Cruz’s head from behind, and hitting him several more times while he lay on the ground. That suspect remains at large, the police said. The suspects stole money, a gold chain and a cellphone, the police said. Mr. De La Cruz, who was unconscious, was not discovered for 30 to 45 minutes, when a resident came upon him, the police said.

Mr. De La Cruz remained at St. Barnabas Hospital and was in critical but stable condition on Monday, with his condition slowly improving, the police said. His daughter said last week that he could not open his eyes.

Mr. De La Cruz is one of three hosts on the program “Conexión Hispana” on WESX in Chelsea, Mass.