Suspect arrested in Tedeschi’s assault, kidnapping

By News Staff
Reporting by Matt Blanchette (@mattblanchette)
news@abc6.com

A suspect has been arrested in connection to an assault made outside a Tedeschi’s in Fall River Friday night.

Police say John Berube, 31, was arrested after police received a tip Sunday night that a man fitting the description of the suspect depicted in a surveillance photo was inside an apartment in the East Main Street area.

Berube fled out a window when officers arrived and was apprehended after a foot pursuit.

Police say he confessed to the incident at Tedeschi’s in which an 18-year-old female said she let a male who approached her by foot borrow her cell phone and was assaulted. The victim says he held a knife to her throat and made her walk several blocks before she was able to escape. She says he then got into a blue mini van that was following them.

Police are still investigating a similar incident involving a 9-year-old girl that happened on Peckham Street earlier in the day on Friday. “He ran and threw the knife at me. At my arm,” the girl in the incident tells ABC 6 news. Her father, Paul Lopes, put up signs around the neigborhood, to be on the lookout for the suspect. He says police told him those signs helped them get the tip that led to the arrest.

“Its my daughter. I am just trying to help catch the person that was trying to kill her. Or at least throw a knife at her that’s how I looked at it.” Lopes said.

The girl told police a man approached her while playing in her yard with a friend asking if she wanted to get inside a van for some candy. She says the man threw a knife at her and cut her on the arm. She yelled and he fled on foot.

Berube denied any involvement in the incident involving the 9-year-old girl.  

“Relative to the 9-year-old girl; Major Crimes Division detectives continue to investigate that incident vigorously,” said Police Chief Daniel Racine.  “While the two incidents have a similar MO, geography, suspect description, information regarding a van, weapon (knife) and time frame; we are unable at this time to charge any individual or individuals.”Berube was charged with armed robbery, indecent A&B on a person over 14, and kidnapping.

(C) WLNE/TV 2015