A Bunnell man was arrested after he forced his way into a woman’s apartment and raped her at knifepoint, according to Bunnell police and a charging affidavit.
Antonio Figueroa-Acevedo, 30, of Palm Coast, was arrested June 12 and charged with burglary with assault or battery; burglary while armed; tampering with a witness; domestic violence – strangulation; false imprisonment; and grand theft. Each of the first three charges are listed as first-degree felonies while the rest are third-degree felonies.
Figueroa-Acevedo remained in the St. Johns County jail on June 15 without bond awaiting extradition to Flagler County.
Bunnell Police were called around 9:55 a.m. to the woman’s apartment.
Figueroa-Acevedo was the victim’s ex-boyfriend, according to the charging affidavit. The victim said she was “FaceTiming” with a friend when her phone lost the connection. She then saw Figueroa-Acevedo disabling her internet while wearing a “COVID 19” mask and gloves. She discovered he had entered the apartment through a window.
She screamed and Figueroa-Acevedo put his hand over her mouth. When he released her, the woman said she screamed again and he put his hands over her mouth and around her neck, the affidavit stated.
Figueroa-Acevedo pulled out a knife, put it to her neck and then raped her, according to an affidavit.
Affidavit: Bunnell woman escaped accused rapist
The woman was later able to break free and get out of the apartment. Figueroa-Acevedo caught up with her as she was getting into her car and put her in a choke hold, preventing her from breathing, the affidavit stated. The woman was close to passing out and heard an elderly woman yelling for help, the affidavit stated.
Figueroa-Acevedo then fled the scene in his Subaru. Police put out a BOLO (be on the lookout) for the car. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office spotted the Subaru northbound on Interstate 95 at State Road 207 and arrested Figueroa-Acevedo, the affidavit stated.
Figueroa-Acevedo also took three cellphones from the apartment, preventing the woman from calling for help, the affidavit stated.
“This case reflects the kind of violence no person should ever have to endure,” said Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon. “Our officers and detectives acted quickly, followed the evidence, and worked with our law enforcement partners to ensure the suspect was located and taken into custody. Domestic violence is not a private matter, and it will never be treated as one by this agency. When someone is accused of terrorizing, injuring, or trying to control another person through violence, we will pursue the facts, build the strongest case possible, and do everything within our authority to bring them before the justice system.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Man arrested in St. Johns County, accused of raping Bunnell woman
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
