POLICE NEWS: Teen charged in rape case allegedly committed similar assaults before

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Aimee Ambrose, Goshen News, Ind.
·8 min read
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Mar. 16—A Goshen teenager is charged as an adult with breaking into a woman's house and raping her last week. And he allegedly has a history of committing similar acts.

Jonathan Hernandez, 16, was charged with two Level 1 felony counts of rape in a case filed Tuesday. He's jailed in lieu of a $250,000 bond.

Hernandez was arrested Friday during an investigation into the attack.

The victim told police her doorbell rang around 11:30 p.m. March 9. When she answered the door, a male overpowered her and sexually assaulted her, according to details in a probable cause affidavit.

About 20 minutes after the incident, a police officer followed a vehicle that was being driven without its headlights. The officer tracked the vehicle to an apartment in the 1800 block of Ashley Court, the affidavit shows.

Meanwhile, a detective, pointing to Goshen Police Department records, said this case bore similarities to a sexual battery that had been reported in the 1800 block of Holly Court in September 2019. And that incident was later linked to another sexual battery case that had been reported that same month in the 300 block of Gra-Roy Drive. According to the affidavit, the detective said a DNA profile from the Gra-Roy case matched a DNA sample taken from Hernandez.

The detective also said Hernandez had been adjudicated in cases with similar circumstances. He'd also been released from the Juvenile Jail on Feb. 15 and was living at the Ashley Court apartment where the vehicle was found after the assault last week, the affidavit shows.

As police interviewed Hernandez and his mother at the police department, investigators said he admitted he watched the victim's house the night of the attack. Hernandez also allegedly admitted he had tried to enter through a rear door, but it was locked. He instead rang the doorbell, forced his way into the home when the door opened, and assaulted the victim, according to the affidavit.

Hernandez allegedly said he then fled and drove back home, showing police the apparent route he took, the affidavit shows.

Hernandez's mother also told police he has a diagnosed mental illness for which medication was prescribed, the affidavit shows

The case against Hernandez was filed in Elkhart County Superior Court 1.

ARMED ROBBERY

Johnny Meador III and Tyler Alford, both 19 years old and from Goshen, reported to Goshen police they were robbed at the Meijer gas station, 4522 Elkhart Road, around 11:35 p.m. Sunday. The two were not injured, and police did not locate a suspect at the scene. The case is under investigation.

BATTERY

Carl Keister, Goshen, reported to Goshen police he was battered outside Wings Etc., 23222 U.S. 33, around 10:45 p.m. Sunday. Keister was treated at the scene for injuries, police said in a report.

FIRE

Goshen firefighters responded to a shed fire at a home, 505 E. Wilden Ave., around 11:45 a.m. Monday. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Goshen Fire Department, Goshen police said in a news release.

ARRESTS

—Fiona Falcon, 19, Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police on a charge of possession of marijuana after police found her in a vehicle parked at Shanklin Park, 411 W. Plymouth Ave., around 1:05 a.m. Tuesday. Falcon was released at the scene with a citation to appear in court.

—Lavinnia Lantz, 19, and Juan Aguilar Pizana, 19, were arrested by Elkhart County police each on a charge of possession of marijuana after police found them in the parking lot of Baintertown Park along C.R. 142 near New Paris around 9:05 p.m. Monday. Lantz and Aguilar Pizana were released at the scene with citations to appear in court.

—Trenton Troyer, 29, 26083 C.R. 48, Nappanee, was arrested by Goshen police and jailed on charges of false informing and possession of marijuana, as well as for warrants while he was at Oakridge Cemetery, 427 N. First St., around 12:50 p.m. Monday.

—Christopher Oehlers, 24, 53586 C.R. 27, Bristol, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of battery after police responded to an incident at that address around 10 p.m. Sunday.

—Autumn Wimmer, 32, 19399 C.R. 18, Goshen, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on charges of disorderly conduct and public intoxication after police said she was making unreasonable noise following an argument at her home around 8:35 p.m. Sunday. Police also said Wimmer was found in the roadway intoxicated multiple times.

—Aaron Nagy, 34, Fort Wayne, was arrested by Elkhart County police on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after police responded to a vehicle crash at U.S. 20 and Ind. 15 around 3:10 p.m. Sunday. Nagy was released at the scene with citations to appear in court.

—Thomas Elsasser, 47, 1503 Kelsey Ave., Elkhart, was arrested by Bristol police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop at C.R. 4 and C.R. 33 around 11:45 a.m. Sunday. A passenger in the vehicle Elsasser was driving, Dana Aman, 46, 60920 Deerfield, Goshen, was also arrested and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

—Justin Gibson, 33, 25521 C.R. 30, Goshen, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia at his address around 9:40 a.m. Sunday.

—Mark Jennings, 31, and Charette Saysamone, 26, were arrested by Elkhart County police each on a charge of possession of marijuana following an apparent traffic stop at U.S. 6 and C.R. 133 near Syracuse around 10:35 p.m. Saturday. Jennings and Saysamone were released at the scene with citations to appear in court.

—Valenta Smart, 23, 203 Stonewall Court, Nappanee, was arrested by Nappanee police and jailed on a charge of possession of marijuana following a traffic stop in the 100 block of South Main Street around 11:15 p.m. Friday.

—Justin Percival, 32, South Bend, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated following a traffic stop at Ind. 15 and U.S. 20 around 6:20 p.m. Friday.

—Terry Stidham, 26, 317 N. Benton St., Millersburg, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of driving as a habitual traffic violator following a traffic stop at Jefferson and Washington streets in Millersburg around 2:15 p.m. Friday.

—Myles Bolden, 26, South Bend, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated after police said he crashed a vehicle into an electric pole at C.R. 28 and C.R. 11 around 8:15 a.m. Friday. Police said Bolden had tried to flee the scene but was apprehended.

VOYEURISM

Shireen Dial, Goshen, reported to Goshen police an unknown man looked into windows at her home, 204 S. Cottage Ave., around 3:50 p.m. Sunday.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON

Heather Drudge, New Paris, reported to Goshen police Monday an incident that involved a suspicious male at Cabin Coffee Co., 707 Lincolnway East, on March 6.

THEFTS

—Brent Chupp, Goshen, reported to Elkhart County police a 2009 assembled trailer was stolen from his home, 19524 C.R. 19, sometime between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday.

—Bryan Fox, Goshen, reported to Goshen police a theft from his vehicle while it was parked at Winchester Trails mobile home park around 1:55 p.m. Sunday.

—Amanda Nusbaum, New Paris, reported to Elkhart County police the registration was stolen from her vehicle sometime between noon last Thursday and around 10:10 a.m. Sunday.

—Staff at Walmart reported to Goshen police Monday thefts from the store, 4024 Elkhart Road, that occurred March 2, March 9 and March 11.

—Chad Atz reported to Elkhart County police Monday a Wildwood X-Lite trailer was stolen from a Forest River RV property, 11555 Harter Drive, in Middlebury on Feb. 28.

HIT-AND-RUN

Kayla Kuhn, Goshen, reported to Goshen police her car was struck by another vehicle while it was parked at Tractor Supply Co., 2323 Lincolnway East, around 1:25 p.m. Monday. The driver of the other vehicle left the scene without contacting her.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

—Staff at Selge Construction reported to Goshen police equipment parked at Kauffman Park, 212 Prospect Ave., was damaged over the weekend.

—Jamie Anglemyer, Goshen, reported to Goshen police his pickup truck was damaged while it was parked at a home, 622 River Ave., at some time Sunday. He'd made a similar report earlier that day, saying vandalism had occurred sometime between Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

—Misty Yoder reported to Elkhart County police her vehicle was damaged in the area of C.R. 146 and Ind. 15 near New Paris Sunday.

FRAUD

—Deborah Bobeck, Millersburg, reported to Elkhart County police Monday a case of fraud that occurred sometime between March 3 and March 10.

—Ryan Weaver, New Paris, reported to Elkhart County police Friday a case of fraud that occurred sometime between May 20, 2020 and May 27, 2020.

SHOTGUN FOUND

Staff with the Elkhart County Highway Department reported to Elkhart County police a work crew found a short-barreled shotgun in a nylon case in the 27000 block of C.R. 26 around 9:45 a.m. Saturday.

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