Naked man accused of running over woman, beating her on side of Brevard County highway

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Clearwater man is in the Brevard County jail after deputies said he hit a Brevard County woman he was dating with his truck before choking and beating her on the side of the road.

Deputies said the woman is now in the hospital with serious injuries, and the man, identified as Daniel Patregnani, is facing a charge of attempted murder.

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The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said Patregnani ran over a woman he’s dated for about a month after she jumped from his parked truck on Thursday in the median of the Pineda Causeway east of I-95.

“She goes across the roadway, gets onto the side, at that point the truck comes through the median, goes across traffic and actually strikes her, runs right into her and throws her a distance from the truck,” said Tod Goodyear, with the sheriff’s office.

READ: Woman fatally struck in hit-and-run on I-95, troopers say

The sheriff’s office said that Patregani was completely undressed when he exited his vehicle and began choking and beating the woman.

Goodyear said a citizen came over and tried to intervene. Within seconds after that, two off-duty law enforcement officers happened to be driving by and saw what was happening and pulled over. He said they were able to get Patregnani off the woman with the help of the Good Samaritans.

READ: Brevard County officials call for more training after second allegation of inappropriate behavior

Video: Woman fatally struck in hit-and-run on I-95, troopers say Troopers are searching for a driver involved in a hit-and-run on Interstate 95 Friday morning.

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