DA pushes no bail for Palm Springs attempted rape suspect

The District Attorney's office is fighting to keep a 33-year-old Coachella man accused of attempted sex assault, behind bars.

Fernando Javier Hernandez is accused of breaking into a North Palm Springs apartment at 4 a.m. on April 23 and attempting to rape a 60-year-old woman, and punching her.

According to Lt. Gustavo Araiza of the Palm Springs Police Department, the victim was able to fight him off, but he returned to the apartment again.

During his second attempt, Hernandez yelled, "chaca chaca," the Spanish word for sex, before running away. The police arrested him a few hours later near North Palm Canyon Drive.

New court documents give disturbing details into what happened. Before police arrived, Hernandez reportedly “climbed on top of [the victim] and straddled her from behind," thrusting his hips front to back and attempting to have sex.

Thursday, Hernandez was rowdy and disruptive at a hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, where the DA's office fought to put him at no bail instead of his current $2 million dollars. He has pleaded not guilty to six felony charges.

The DA's office argued that public safety cannot reasonably be assured if the defendant is released, saying that he poses a danger to the victim and the community at large. "When you have a violent crime, one of the concerns is the potential for this happening again," Araiza said.

Hernandez is charged with one felony count each of assault with intent to commit rape, attempted rape by force or fear, assault on a person causing great bodily injury and vandalism, according to court records. He also faces two felony counts of burglary.

He will appear for a bail hearing and a felony settlement conference on May 8 at the Larson Justice Center before his preliminary hearing on May 9.