By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — A man who faces charges of beating a woman unconscious over an East Village parking spot said he punched her out of "reflex," the Daily News reported.
Oscar Fuller, 34, said that he punched 25-year-old Lana Rosas on Feb. 25 after she started hitting him in the face and he saw her boyfriend making his way to him, the News reported.
"It was out of reflex, just a reaction that went the wrong way," Fuller told the paper.
Fuller is due in court Monday to hear if he has been indicted on charges of assault in the second degree.
Rosas suffered permanent brain damage as a result of the blow and remains in a coma at Bellevue Hospital where doctors had to remove a piece of her skull to relieve brain swelling.
"My history speaks of not hitting a woman," Fuller said to the News.
The woman had been standing in a parking spot on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B when Fuller tried to park in his minivan.
Following an exchange of words, Fuller claimed the 4-foot-11 Rosas started hitting him on the face.
After that, the father of two, who has previous arrests for assault and drug possession, knocked Rosas out before getting back in his car and heading to a friend's birthday party, the paper reported.
"Do I feel I was right to do what I did? No!" Fuller said.
