Man arrested in random late-night attack on woman at Downtown El Paso bus stop
A man is accused of randomly attacking a woman in a late-night assault at a bus stop in Downtown El Paso, authorities said.
The 40-year-old woman was screaming for help when good Samaritans grabbed 52-year-old Manuel Elucio Mendez Jr. and pulled him off her, a prosecutor said at a Wednesday teleconference bond hearing.
The assault occurred shortly before 2:30 a.m. Monday at a bus stop near the Wells Fargo Bank building at East Mills Street and North Kansas Street, police said.
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The woman got into an argument with her husband at a bar and left to go home when she was waiting at a bus stop, Assistant District Attorney Adam Chevrier said at the hearing.
It is unknown if the woman was waiting for a ride. Sun Metro buses do not run overnight.
Mendez allegedly approached the woman, began punching her, got on top of her and sexually penetrated her with a finger during the assault, the prosecutor said.
People in nearby cars heard the screams, got out and came to the woman's aid, stopping Mendez, who was arrested at the scene, police and the prosecutor said.
"This poor woman is probably traumatized for life," Chevrier said.
Mendez was booked on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, although Magistrate Judge Linda Estrada commented at the hearing that the case should have been filed as a sexual assault.
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A public defense lawyer said Mendez is originally from Dallas, has schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and was living at a homeless shelter.
The prosecutor pointed out that Mendez had served prison time for aggravated robbery and burglary of habitation in convictions from 2007.
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El Paso County Jail records show he was arrested for public intoxication in early August and then was arrested Aug. 27 on an assault case. He was released from jail Feb. 24 with time served.
Mendez remains held at the El Paso County Jail under a $250,000 bond, which Estrada refused to lower due to the nature of the crime.
Crime up in Central area
So far this year, crime is up 4% in the police Central region, which includes Downtown, after being down 6% in 2021, Cmdr. Thomas Peña said at a virtual town hall meeting recently.
The region has seen a problematic increase in car burglaries with parked vehicles left unlocked with wallets, credit cards and other items left inside, Peña said.
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There is a Metro Unit dedicated to patrolling Downtown, and officers work with other agencies in trying to get help for homeless individuals on the streets, Peña added.
The Central region covers some of the oldest neighborhoods in El Paso, stretching from Schuster Avenue near the University of Texas at El Paso east to Airport Road.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at 915-546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Woman attacked in random late-night assault in Downtown El Paso
