A 41-year-old man was arrested early Thursday after police say he assaulted his roommate with a hammer inside a Visalia residence, the Visalia Police Department said in a statement.

Police officers responded at about 4:40 a.m. to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon in the 1700 block of South Central Street. The incident occurred inside a home and involved two roommates, police said.

As officers arrived, the suspect, identified as Luis Rocha, was seen leaving the area in a vehicle. Officers initiated a traffic stop that led to a brief pursuit before Rocha pulled over and was taken into custody without incident.

The victim was struck multiple times in the head with a hammer and was transported to Kaweah Health Medical Center, where the person was listed in stable condition, police said.

Rocha was booked into the Tulare County Adult Pre-Trial Detention Facility on suspicion of attempted murder.

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