San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Hollister
limousine driver for allegedly sexually assaulting an unconscious
passenger at her friend’s house on New Year’s Eve, according to
police.
Hollister – San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Hollister limousine driver for allegedly sexually assaulting an unconscious passenger at her friend’s house on New Year’s Eve, according to police.
Deputies arrested Jose Reynoso, 59, with felony sexual penetration of an unconscious person, sexual battery of an unconscious person and burglary. Police believe he dropped the 25-year-old Morgan Hill resident at her friend’s Hollister-area home and returned later and assaulted her while she slept, Undersheriff Pat Turturici said.
Reynoso, who police believe is an employee of LTD SUV Limousine Service in Hollister, had been hired by the victim’s friend to drive the three friends around to several local bars on New Year’s Eve, Turturici said. After dropping the trio off at home around 1am, police believe Reynoso returned to the residence, entered uninvited through an unlocked front door and touched the victim inappropriately while she slept on the couch, Turturici said.
Police were called to the home around 3:30am after the victim told her friends that she had woken up and found Reynoso standing above her partially undressed, Turturici said. Police took photographs of the victim’s injuries and ripped clothing, however she was not taken to a hospital for an exam.
The victim had been drinking throughout the night, but was sober and visibly upset when police arrived, Turturici said. Shortly after 3:30am, Reynoso returned to the residence after the victim’s friend called him and asked him to come back over because there was a problem, Turturici said. The man specifically asked Reynoso to come back so police could arrest him, Turturici said.
“This is a very unusual (assault),” he said. “(Reynoso) was hired – these people were trying to stay safe for the evening, trying to celebrate the new year, but things didn’t turn out that way.”
While LTD SUV Limousine Service did not return phone calls on Wednesday, Turturici said during an interview with police Reynoso admitted that he had touched the victim. He is being held at the San Benito County Jail in lieu of $85,000 bail, according to jail personnel. Reynoso has never been arrested with a sex crime in San Benito County, however he was arrested for battery in 1996 but was never charged, according to jail personnel.
If convicted of a sexual battery charge, Reynoso could face a maximum of eight years in prison, according to the California Penal Code.
Many sexual assaults in Hollister either stem from a date rape situation or are domestic violence-related. But assaults by a stranger are rare. There were 22 forcible rapes in Hollister last year compared to 11 in 2003. However, from January through September of 2005, there were only six rapes within the city – 60 percent fewer incidences than the 15 reported over the same time period in 2004. Complete statistics for 2005 will not be available for several weeks because officials are still compiling totals, Police Captain Richard Vasquez said, and Turturici was unable to provide statistics from the sheriff’s department for 2004.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
