Charges filed vs. man suspected of break-in, attempted rape in Palm Springs
A 33-year-old man suspected of breaking into a woman's apartment in Palm Springs to sexually assault her pleaded not guilty to six felony charges today.
Fernando Javier Hernandez of Coachella was 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 pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
The woman called police shortly before 4:20 a.m. Sunday to report that a man had broken into her apartment in the 700 block of Los Felices Circle and tried to sexually assault her, according to the Palm Springs Police Department. She said the man entered her apartment through an open window and attempted to assault her while she was asleep.
"(She) was able to fight off the suspect, who returned and broke in through a closed window," Palm Springs police said in a statement. `The victim was again able to fight off the suspect, who then ran away."
Hernandez was identified as the suspect and was tracked down shortly after, according to police.
He was arrested around 6 a.m. Sunday near North Palm Canyon Drive, according to inmate records. Hernandez was subsequently booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he remains held on $55,000.
Anyone with additional information on the alleged crime was asked to call the police department's Investigations Division at 760-323-8121 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 760-347-7867.
