Man accused of hitting woman with car, kidnapping, raping her in Deland held without bond

Video: Man accused of hitting woman with car, kidnapping, raping her in Deland held without bond Rodrigo Reyes, 48, was arrested Tuesday afternoon near where the woman was abducted at South Parsons and West Beresford avenues, according to police. A man on his way home called 911 for the victim.

A suspected rapist who investigators said hit a 31-year-old woman with a car, dragged her into it, took her to a secluded area and attacked her is being held without bond, a Volusia County judge ruled Wednesday.

Rodrigo Reyes, 48, was arrested Tuesday afternoon near where the woman was abducted at South Parsons and West Beresford avenues, according to police. A man on his way home called 911 for the victim.

Reyes listened in court Wednesday as an interpreter relayed the judge’s message to him through a headset.

Read: Wanted DeLand man arrested after deputies found him livestreaming on Instagram, Sheriff’s Office says

Deland police said they suspected Reyes early on, before he was arrested, but he denied the accusations during the investigation. However, they said they found the victim’s clothing in Reyes’ black Ford Mustang convertible.

The victim also kept the condom, which is being tested for DNA evidence, police said. The evidence was enough for police to arrest Reyes.

Investigators said they believe Reyes had contact with the victim once before, when he approached her thinking she was a prostitute. The victim told police Reyes left when she told him she wasn’t one.

Detectives said women working in the area as prostitutes have said Reyes attacked and raped them.

“These women that came forward and spoke to our investigators said that they knew him from frequenting that area,” Deland police Chief Jason Umberger said. “Several told our investigators vaguely he had picked them up and assaulted them in the past.”

A co-worker who does construction with Reyes and dates Reyes’ girlfriend’s daughter said in a police report that Reyes would leave work many days at 3:30 p.m. and not return home until 8 p.m., and no one knew where he went.

The co-worker also said that Reyes never returned to work the day after the alleged rape occurred, and that Reyes had never missed work before.

Arrest records show Reyes had ended up at the Volusia County Jail twice before: once for driving without a license, and most recently for soliciting a prostitute.

Umberger said anyone who may have been victimized by Reyes is asked to contact the DeLand Police Department.

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