A woman fought off a man who was attempting to assault her as she walked to her car, witnesses told NBC 7.
She is the second victim who has come forward after another woman reported being sexually assaulted by the same suspect at two different locations on Thursday, San Diego Police (SDPD) said.
Ismael Hernandez, 27 of Chula Vista was arrested on Saturday on multiple rape-related charges. He is accused of sexually assaulting a woman twice and attempting to assault another woman at knife point.
Police said one woman was assaulted outside a business near 6th Avenue and Cedar Street Thursday. She saw Hernandez’s reflection her car window and was able to fight him off and run away.
According to employees at a nearby restaurant told NBC 7, the victim had been eating at their restaurant and the assault happened as she walked to her car. She ran inside after getting away from the suspect.
Hernandez is also accused of sexually assaulting another woman in Balboa Park that same night.
It happened on 9th Avenue near Cortez Hill.
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Police say Hernandez forced the woman to walk to Balboa Park at knife point, threatening to kill her if she didn’t listen to him. He allegedly sexually assaulted her, then forced her to walk to another location and sexually assaulted her again.
Hernandez was booked into San Diego County Jail and charged with rape, kidnap for rape, digital penetration by a foreign object, oral copulation by force, using a dangerous weapon during an assault, criminal threats, false imprisonment and three counts of attempted sexual assault.
San Diego Police are also looking whether there are more victims.
