A woman was allegedly assaulted beside the Western Highway at Rockbank in front of her child and in plain view of passing motorists.
The alleged incident occurred about 6pm on Friday, October 31, when the 32-year-old woman was travelling east in a car with a 39-year-old Rockbank man.
A witness to the incident said he saw the man pull over near the Hopkins Road exit and assault the woman outside the vehicle in front of a child.
The witness, Nathan Miles, said he stopped to assist the woman and called police.
“She had bloody bruises and ring marks all over her hair and face, and she was clutching lumps of her own hair,” Mr Miles said. “I was absolutely disgusted.”
Senior Constable Rifat Gedik said the man would be questioned.
Sergeant Ken Anderson, of the Melton family violence unit, said the Department of Human Services would be notified.
The unit responded to 92 domestic violence cases in Melton and 49 cases in Caroline Springs in October.
In an unrelated incident, Melton police are appealing for public assistance following reports to police that a mother abused her toddler son at Macs Hotel in High Street, Melton.
The woman, believed to be in her mid to late 30s, allegedly threatened to kill her son after he wet his pants.
“We’re concerned for the welfare of the boy,” Sergeant Anderson said.
The incident happened about 7.45pm on Saturday, November 1, in the bistro area of the hotel.
