A good Samaritan was viciously pummeled when he stepped in to help a woman whose boyfriend was attacking her on an Upper East Side street over the weekend, cops said.
Brian Mendieta, 26, chased his 27-year-old girlfriend into the street and slapped her in the face on East 76th Street near First Avenue around 11:45 p.m. Friday, authorities said.
A 40-year-old man was passing by when he heard the woman’s screams, tried to step in and called 911, according to cops and prosecutors.
Then Mendieta turned on the intervening stranger and repeatedly punched him in the face — leaving him with a bruised nose, a cut on his forehead, swelling and substantial pain, according to cops and a criminal complaint.
Neither the injured girlfriend nor the bystander needed to be taken to the hospital, cops said.
Mendieta fled the scene, but was busted Saturday afternoon and charged with third-degree assault — a misdemeanor charge that is not bail-eligible — as well as second-degree aggravated harassment, third-degree attempted assault and second-degree harassment, according to the complaint.
He was released on his own recognizance during his Sunday arraignment.
Police initially described the attack on the woman as an attempted rape — but said Monday that it was a physical assault alone.
The couple had been arguing and the clash escalated into violence, Assistant District Attorney Julia Hooks said at Mendieta’s arraignment.
The judge issued an order of protection to keep Mendieta away from his girlfriend, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The couple lived together and had no children in common, Hooks said.