Prosecutors say they are confident David Angelo Drake - a San Diego man with no criminal history - is the right suspect in the series of attacks on women in North Park, while his defense attorney says there are "identity issues."
A judge raised bail to $5 million for Drake, the 23-year-old suspect accused of a string of assaults this summer on women in North Park.
He pleaded not guilty Thursday to 18 charges related to the alleged attacks on seven women, which prosecutors now say began April 30.
The April case as well as another August incident not yet reported in the media were added to the multiple charges against Drake. Still, prosecutors have not ruled out the possibility of more assailants still at large.
"The investigation is absolutely ongoing," Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Golovato said.
Following the arraignment, Drake's defense attorney, Dan Greene, presented concerns over the charges, saying that none of the women have identified his client in a lineup.
"No one person has identified Mr. Drake as the assailant," Greene said. "I don't want to say that's because they're picking out someone else. In some instances, there have been different descriptions that don't match Mr. Drake."
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The prosecutor on the case, however, said she's confident.
"Our office has an ethical burden to only file charges on cases we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt," Golovato said. "We believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that David Angelo Drake committed these offenses."
In arguing for high bail, Golovato cited the seriousness of the charges and the number of victims.
"As everyone knows, this was an individual who was terrorizing North Park for approximately four months," she said.
When asked about Drake's state of mind, Greene said he was "very scared."
"He's never been in trouble before," he said. "He's never been in a jail cell before."
After a months-long search for a suspect in the assaults, police arrested Drake on Tuesday. His bail initially was set at $855,000.
The charges are connected to a series of attacks on women all in the residential area of San Diego west of Interstate 805 and south of El Cajon Boulevard.
Initially believed to begin on June 11, prosecutors on Thursday also accused Drake of an April 30 attack. Golovato said she couldn't comment on the evidence, but did say that attack occurred in the same area as the other attacks.
Here are the charges against Drake:
- April 30 incident: Drake is charged with assault with intent to commit a specific felony and assault by means to likely produce great bodily injury.
- June 11 incident: A woman told police she was thrown to the ground by one attacker on 33rd Street. Drake is charged with sexual penetration (use of force), assault with intent to commit a specific felony and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.
- June 21 incident: A woman was walking along Lincoln Avenue at 9:20 p.m. when she said two men attempted to attack her. Drake is charged with assault to commit a specific felony and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.
- June 24 incident: A woman was walking along Lincoln Avenue near Oregon Street and was knocked unconscious in an attack from behind, police said. Drake is charged with sexual penetration (use of force), assault with intent to commit a specific felony and assault with intent to commit a specific felony.
- July 20 incident: A woman was knocked out while walking near the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Kansas Street around 1:20 a.m. Drake is charged with assault with intent to commit a specific felony and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.
- Aug. 12 incident: Drake is charged with sexual penetration (use of force), robbery and assault with intent to commit a specific felony.
- Aug. 28 incident: The victim was attacked from behind, punched in the face and knocked out. She screamed for help and the suspect ran away, avoiding capture. Drake is charged with assault with intent to commit a specific felony and assault by means to produce great bodily injury.
If convicted on all the charges against him, Drake could face 114 years to life in prison.
