By Jim Clark

Somerville police responded to a reported assault at La Quinta Inn, 23 Cummings Street, on Sunday. Officers arrived finding a visibly shaken, crying woman who reported that she had been aggressively pursued and harassed by a man she did not know.

The woman said that she had been using the ladies room at the hotel and, upon leaving, noticed four men outside, one of whom began making lewd remarks to her as she departed.  The woman became very frightened when the man allegedly began following her and continued making sexually suggestive remarks and gestures. As the woman attempted to get away from the man he began to walk faster in order to catch up with her, police said.

The woman dialed the police on her cell phone and told the man that she had done so, but it took more than one warning to persuade the man to leave, whereupon he ran back and into the hotel, according to reports.

Police officers at the scene reportedly entered the hotel and located the room where a man matching the woman’s description was found along with three other males.

Antonio Irizarry, 20, of Schenectady, NY, was taken into custody and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault to rape.