Romance Studies Professor Allegedly Taps Woman with Brass Knuckles

A Romance Studies professor at Boston University allegedly lightly “thumped” a woman in the ribs with brass knuckles Sunday afternoon after he became aggravated that she was doing the dishes. 

The woman told police that she was washing the dishes shortly after 3 p.m., and the professor got angry because he enjoys doing them at night. The professor said the woman put more than $3,000 worth of charges on his credit card without his authorization. He denied the alleged abuse.

Pedro C. Lasarte, 65, of Moulton Road, was arrested by Arlington police on Moulton Road and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon. Lasarte is listed as a Spanish professor in Boston University’s Romance Studies department on the school’s website.

He was arrested in October in Arlington for violating an abuse prevention order.

Police responded to Lasarte’s residence at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Police said Lasarte was “belligerent” toward the officers when they arrived.

After he was handcuffed, Lasarte told police about the charges on his credit card. He said he never touched the woman or used any physical force against her.

He said he brought the brass knuckles from Peru roughly 30 years ago and did not realize that they were illegal in the state.

When Lasarte was told he was being arrested, he allegedly said, “You gotta be kidding me, you’re really taking me in for this?”

The woman told police that while she was doing the dishes, Lasarte began scraping her upper left arm with a key. Police said there were visible scratch marks on the woman’s arm.

The woman said Lasarte then pulled out his brass knuckles and said, “I know where to hit you with these where there won’t be a mark.”

After that, he lightly “thumped” her in the ribs, she said. She then called police.