Weymouth man charged in assaults on couple with toddler on Red Line train

By Todd Feathers, Globe Correspondent

(Boston Globe) Joseph Pacheco tried to assault a father with a beer bottle after the mother asked assailant to move away from their 2-year-old daughter.

MBTA Transit Police arrested a Weymouth man after he allegedly attacked a father with a beer bottle while the father was traveling with his wife and 2-year-old daughter on a northbound Red Line train Sunday night.

Police arrested Joseph Pacheco, 43, at Broadway Station on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and an outstanding warrant for shoplifting. They are currently searching for a female who assaulted the mother, police said in a statement.

The couple told police that when they boarded the train at Wollaston Station, they noticed Pacheco arguing loudly with his female accomplice. Twice during the train ride, Pacheco asked the male victim for a cigarette and the man declined, the statement said.

The second time Pacheco asked for a cigarette, he was leaning over the stroller carrying the couple’s 2-year-old daughter. When the mother asked Pacheco to move away from her daughter, Pacheco’s female companion allegedly began assaulting her, the statement said.

When the father intervened, Pacheco began assaulting him. At that time, the train pulled into Broadway Station, and the mother and daughter were able to exit the train unharmed, the statement said.

Pacheco and his companion continued to assault the man, and Pacheco allegedly began wielding a 40-ounce beer bottle, though he failed to strike the man with it, the statement said.

When police arrived at the station, the female accomplice had left the area and could not be found, but Pacheco was placed into custody.

Transit Police Superintendent Joseph O’Connor said there was no indication that any other passengers on the train became involved in the altercation. He added that the female victim did the right thing by calling Transit Police as soon as the alleged assault began.

“Any time that anyone sees any type of disorder or altercation they should remove themselves from the area and contact us immediately,” O’Connor said.

The incident was “especially concerning,” he said, because a child was involved and Pacheco has had several run-ins with law enforcement before.

Pacheco was arraigned today in South Boston District Court. He is being held on his outstanding shoplifting warrant and $10,000 cash bail for the assault charge.