A Cape Coral man remained in jail Friday after he was arrested for allegedly splitting on a 75-year-old woman in a road rage incident earlier this week.

Kurt Matthew Ronis, 33, of 3612 S.E. Ninth Place, Apt. B, was charged Thursday with one count of battery on person 65 years of age or older.

He remained in custody at the Lee County Jail on $1,000 bond.

On Wednesday afternoon, Lois Artinos was being driven home from the airport by her son when Ronis allegedly pulled alongside of the van that the Artinoses were riding in. He reportedly yelled and screamed at the two.

According to Cape police, Ronis then began spitting at the passenger’s side window of the van. Lois Artinos was spat upon several times by Ronis.

The Artinoses pulled over and called police to report the incident.

They provided a description of the driver and his vehicle.

Police obtained a surveillance photo from the Midpoint Bridge of the alleged driver. The photo was broadcast to the public in an effort to identify him.

Ronis was developed as a suspect within minutes when an administrative assistant in the CCPD’s Major Crimes Unit recognized him, officials reported.

Lois Artinos reportedly identified Ronis as the driver in a photo lineup.

Officers made contact with Ronis at his home Thursday morning. According to police, he confessed to spitting on Artinos and was taken into custody.

“This isn’t the first time that this administrative assistant has assisted in solving a case,” CCPD Lt. Tony Sizemore wrote in a prepared statement Friday. “That’s often a component that is overlooked – our civilian staff.”

“It takes all three to solve crime: the citizens, sworn officers and our civilian staff here at the police department,” he said.

The administrative assistant did not wish to be identified.

Ronis has a court appearance scheduled for April 30.