Hartford Radio: WHCN Morning Host Facing Assault Charges

WHCN 105.9 FM morning personality Joseph Aguiar  has been charged in connection with an assault at a Connecticut gas station last month.

The 40-year-old turned himself in on a warrant to Newington police on Tuesday. He is charged with third-degree assault, third-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree breach of peace.

According to the station's website, he has been with them since 2005 and has been the morning show host since 2010.

iHeartMedia issued the following statement:

"We take matters of this kind very seriously. The employee is on temporary leave from his job until we can further review the situation and the we will take the appropriate action." - Steve Honeycomb, Connecticut Regional Market manager for iHeartMedia.

In a police report, Aguiar said believed he was being robbed when he assaulted the other man. Aguiar told police he mistook the victim’s car for his own, and confronted the man when he got in the vehicle.

He claimed he thought the man was trying to steal his phone and credit cards so he got in the car and checked the center console, but realized his phone wasn't in it. When he got out and looked around he spotted his own car and took off.

Police identified Aguiar after releasing security images of a man attacking an unsuspecting victim at a Mobil Gas Station. Police said security videos showed the suspect leaving the gas station store at 10:30 p.m. on March 9.

The victim, who had been sitting with his back to the suspect, was unconscious for more than two minutes after his head hit the pavement, police said.

Aguiar is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on April 25. He was released from police custody on $75,000 bond.