Bail raised to $3 million for Palm Springs sexual assault, robbery suspect
A Palm Springs man who allegedly broke into his neighbor’s home, physically and sexually assaulted her, robbed her home, then fled the scene in her car, had his bail raised from $1 million to $3 million today.
Demitri Giles, 45,was booked at the Smith Correction Facility in Banning on suspicion of assault with intent to rape in commission of a burglary, sexual penetration with force, elder abuse, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, home invasion robbery, possessing a stolen vehicle and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent on Monday, according to jail records.
Giles was set to be arraigned at the Larson Justice Center in Indio Thursday, but the arraignment had to be pushed back to Friday at 8:30 a.m. due to medical reasons.
Giles now faces 14 felony counts filed by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The counts include torture, burglary, assault, car theft, and various sexual assault charges. He faces additional sentence-enhancing allegations on the counts, including crimes against a person over 65 and inflicting great bodily injury upon a person during a crime.
Read Giles’ full criminal complaint below:
Court officials did not elaborate on what delayed the medical clearance. Giles’ bail remains set at $1 million.
Giles is accused of manipulating his way into his neighbor’s apartment in the 300 block of East Stevens Road about 9 a.m. Monday by saying he had some of her mail, according to Palm Springs police Sgt. Mike Casavan said. He allegedly bound the victim before sexually assaulting her, and stole a cellphone along with her 2007 Honda CR-V, leaving the apartment about seven hours later.
When Giles left in the stolen SUV, the victim was able to contact a neighbor, who then alerted the police to the attack just before 5 p.m.
Police recovered a hammer at the scene and believe it was used in the attack on the woman, hospitalized with unspecified injuries that police described as serious.
About three hours after the Palm Springs Police Department alerted law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the victim’s Honda, Riverside police and sheriff’s deputies from an auto theft detail located the vehicle in Riverside. Giles was found near the vehicle and taken into custody, police said.
Giles does not have a criminal history, Casavan said.
