BOSTON (AP) – An East Boston man was ordered held on $2,000 bail on Friday after pleading innocent at his arraignment to striking another man several times with a machete, severely cutting the victim’s head.

Mario Cruz, 46, was arraigned on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of an accident for his alleged role in Thursday night’s incident.

Police responding to a report of an assault in progress found the victim covered with blood with cuts to his head. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. The victim’s name has not been released.

A witness told police that the suspect hit the victim several times in the head with a machete, then used a baseball bat to threaten two people trying to help the victim, according to the Suffolk district attorney’s office.

The suspect then struck the witnesses vehicle with his own before fleeing on foot, prosecutors said.

Cruz turned himself in to police after police called him on his cell phone, which they obtained from his family.

The motive for the attack is under investigation. Cruz is scheduled back in court on Sept. 17.

AP-ES-07-16-04 2023EDT