New York- Television tough guy Vincent Pastore turned himself in to cops yesterday, days after the former “Sopranos” star allegedly roughed up his fiancée and left her on a Little Italy street.
The actor, who played mobster Sal (Big Pussy) Bonpensiero on the HBO hit series, was charged with beating up Lisa Regina, 44, on Saturday.
Pastore, who planned to wed Regina in June, was led out of Manhattan’s 5th Precinct in handcuffs after being slapped with assault and harassment charges.
Unlike his character, who spilled his guts to the FBI to avoid jail on a drug rap, Pastore kept his mouth shut as cops put him in a marked police car.
“We want him to stay away from her. We don’t want him to kill her,” Regina’s attorney, Jeffrey Schwartz, told the Daily News. “She’s terrified of him.”
Prosecutors said Pastore, 58, flew into a rage about 1:45 p.m. Saturday when Regina got into his sport-utility vehicle in front of her Little Italy apartment.
Pastore was furious – punching the steering wheel and cursing – because he was forced to wait so long he almost got a ticket, prosecutors and Schwartz said. Then, while driving, Pastore went nuts and slugged her in the back of the head, cops said.
Not even a block away, Pastore pulled over on Mott St., ran to the passenger door and yanked Regina out by the arm, Assistant District Attorney James Zaleta said. Regina banged her head on the door frame and landed on her back as she tumbled onto the sidewalk, Zaleta said.
Pastore allegedly tossed her purse and an overnight bag to the ground and sped down the block – leaving his black-eyed bride-to-be bruised and heartbroken.
“She wouldn’t get out of the car,” Pastore later told cops.
At Manhattan Criminal Court, Pastore pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault, attempted assault and harassment.
“Mr. Pastore regrets what happened the other night,” said his lawyer, Dominic Barbara. “He and Ms. Regina were in love for a long time and he will have nothing else to say about this.”
Pastore was released without bail pending a May 5 court date.
After his appearance, the hefty actor stayed in character, first looking for cigarettes, then inhaling a hot dog as Barbara urged him to leave a crowd of reporters. “I haven’t eaten all day!” he shouted.