Police arrest man accused of attacking woman with machete at Merced gas station

A man is accused of attacking a woman with a machete early Sunday at a gas station in central Merced, according to police.

About 12:19 a.m., officers responded to a report of an assault at Zoomy’s 76 at 3006 G St., according to a Merced Police Department news release.

Police said the 27-year-old woman had finished pumping gas when the man, later identified as 23-year-old Austin Welch, allegedly approached her and and swung a metal object wrapped in a blanket.

Authorities said the woman was struck on her arm but did not suffer significant injuries. Police said Welch then left the area. Officers reviewed surveillance footage and found Welch, who is believed to be transient, near the 3200 block of G Street, where he was identified and arrested, according to the release.

Police said officers located a bladed machete wrapped in a blanket. Welch was booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to produce great bodily injury and misdemeanor resisting, according to jail records.

He remains in custody in lieu of $32,000 bond.

Merced police ask anyone with information regarding the alleged crime to contact Officer Adrian Opinski at 209-385-6905 or opinskia@cityofmerced.org.

Some crimes can be reported through the Merced Police Department website and anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 209-385-4725.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted to law enforcement through the Merced Area Crime Stoppers website.