PROVO, Utah, March 30, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A 24-year-old West Valley City man was facing criminal charges Wednesday after he allegedly kidnapped and assaulted his ex-girlfriend outside her Provo home on Monday morning.
Provo police officers were called to 255 N. 1600 West at about 5:30 a.m. on March 28 after dispatch received a report of a prowler in the area.
When investigators arrived on the scene, they discovered the suspected prowler was a woman who said she was the victim of an assault and kidnapping by her ex-boyfriend. He allegedly held her against her will for several hours.
The victim told police her ex-boyfriend, Edgar Hernandez, was waiting outside her home when she arrived around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning.
Hernandez allegedly forced the victim back inside her truck, tied her wrists together, and stuffed a rag in her mouth so she could not call out for help.
Inside the truck, the victim says Hernandez assaulted her repeatedly over the next three hours.
The victim told detectives she managed to escape when Hernandez tried to move her from the truck into her home. While Hernandez chased the victim, she ran into a neighbor’s residence and called for help. The neighbors thought the woman was a prowler and called police.
The victim sustained multiple bruises and lacerations, and a broken finger from the assaults. Detectives investigated, arrested Hernandez, and charged him with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.
