City Councilman Allegedly Beat Girlfriend: Police

A city councilman was arrested early Friday after his girlfriend told police he had assaulted her in her Queens apartment with a piece of broken glass, police said.

The Queens District Attorney's office said charges were pending against Hiram Monserrate, who is beginning a term as state senator next month. Read the D.A.'s statement on Monserrate's arrest. Monserrate was being held Friday at a police stationhouse in Queens.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said the arrest was made after Monserrate, 41, and the 30-year-old unidentified woman arrived early Friday morning at a Queens hospital so she could be treated for a serious cut to the eye and other injuries.

The woman initially told hospital personnel and a police officer that Monserrate had assaulted her during an argument, but later tried to withdraw the accusation, Browne said.

Monserrate is a former city police officer and a founding member of the Latino Officers Association. The Queens Democrat was elected to City Council in 2001 and was elected last month to the state Senate. Colleagues praised Monserrate at a ceremony on Thursday, his last official City Council meeting.

Telephone messages left at Monserrate's offices weren't immediately returned Friday.

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