Central Hunter police expect to lay charges over a savage roadside bashing at Rutherford.
Police say a number of female motorists noticed a man punching a woman in the head several times by the side of the New England Highway at about 2.30 this morning.
They tried to intervene but were unsuccessful, with the man allegedly dragging the woman up a nearby lane way.
A two-hour search involving the dog squad led officers to a Rutherford address where they found the man and the victim.
He was arrested, while the woman, although badly injured, refused treatment and was taken to a safe location.
