Man arrested after shattering glass bottle through windshield in Hallandale Beach
A 38-year-old driver faces two second-degree felony charges after tailgating a woman into a parking lot and striking her in the face.
By Andrew Hayes ·
Esteban Enrique Hernandez, 38, stands accused of escalating a minor traffic dispute into a violent assault on Wednesday afternoon in Hallandale Beach. The incident resulted in two second-degree felony charges against the local resident.
The confrontation began in the 300 block of South Federal Highway as Hernandez drove a black 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. He followed the victim’s vehicle closely, honking his horn repeatedly and nearly striking her rear bumper. The victim described the tailgating as aggressive, prompting both drivers to roll down their windows as they entered the Gulfstream Park parking lot.
Tensions rose when the woman told Hernandez to stop following her. According to the arrest report, Hernandez shouted an expletive in response. He then hurled a glass bottle through the victim’s open window. The impact chipped a front tooth and cut the right side of her forehead, a laceration that required stitches to close.
Hernandez sped away from the parking lot, but the injured woman tracked his vehicle to 1610 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd. while calling police. A patrol officer from the Hallandale Beach Police Department arrived at the scene around 4:29 p.m. to address the aggravated battery report.
Officers located Hernandez in the 1100 block of Northeast First Court shortly after the initial call. The arrest report notes that Hernandez spontaneously admitted to being involved in an altercation and to throwing a bottle. Police brought the victim to the location of the stop, where she identified Hernandez in person as the driver who caused the injury.
Hernandez was booked into the Broward County Main Jail. A judge set his total bond at $15,000 and issued a protective order. He is prohibited from contacting the victim or owning any firearms, weapons, or ammunition while the case proceeds.
The two charges against Hernandez are aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability and shooting or throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle.
