21°
Michael Hernandez, 23, rushed the victim from behind in broad daylight as she walked on Roosevelt Avenue between Hazelton Street and Highland Place around 3 p.m. Dec. 29, Police Lt. Art Jensen said.
Hernandez, who lives in the village, then “put his arm over her shoulder and across her chest while thrusting his body into her [and] making sexually-motivated comments” before fleeing, the lieutenant said.
The description gave police a good idea of who their suspect was, which was only confirmed by surveillance camera footage collected from the area, Jensen said.
Village police tracked down Hernandez on Tuesday, Jan. 3. He remains held in the Bergen County Jail, charged with criminal sexual contact, simple assault, false imprisonment and harassment.
Calling Hernandez "known to police" would be an understatement.
During one stretch last year, he was arrested three times in a little over a month.
The first time, police who said they caught Hernandez breaking into cars were required to release him under New Jersey's 2017 bail reform law.
SEE: Detective Work Produces Ridgefield Park Vehicle Burglary Arrest
Ten days later, authorities said, Hernandez and two other men stole a cab in Union City that crashed a short time later during a police pursuit in Fairview, injuring two women in another vehicle.
The driver face-planted trying to flee on foot and was captured, as was a passenger who had to be yanked from the vehicle by officers. Hernandez got away during the commotion but was arrested at his home the following day and sent to the county jail.
FACE-PLANT FOLLOW-UP: Ridgefield Park Man Charged In Hudson Stolen Cab Chase, Crash In Fairview
It took only a week for a judge in Hackensack to order Hernandez's release -- with conditions -- pending trial.
Two weeks after that, he groped a 40-year-old village resident, police said.
Detectives were looking to arrest Hernandez for that when a patrol officer spotted him a week later in the same general area as the first assault, Police Chief Joseph Rella said at the time.
Seeing a woman nearby, the officer immediately seized Hernandez, the chief said. He spent six days in the county lockup before a judge ordered his release pending trial on criminal sexual contact charges.
NJ BAIL REFORM: Released Twice In Two Weeks, Ridgefield Park Man Gropes Woman, Police Charge
More recently, Hernandez spent two months in the Bergen County Jail after Ridgefield Park police said they caught him burglarizing vehicles while on probation.
He was released in the middle of October, records show.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cliffside Park-Edgewater and receive free news updates.
