Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of attempted rape in progress Thursday in Goleta.
Deputies say it happened at around 10 p.m. in the parking lot of Albertsons grocery store located on the 5800-block of Calle Real.
First responders contacted the survivor who was able to fight off the unknown suspect. The victim told deputies the suspect had just fled and was seen in the nearby area.
Deputies, along with a K9 unit, established a perimeter and searched the surrounding area where they located a naked male hiding under a trash can to the rear of the Albertsons store.
He was identified as 28-year-old Miguel Angel Hernandez-Garcia from Santa Maria. Hernandez-Garcia was arrested and booked at the Main Jail for attempted rape. He is being held on a $1 million bail.
The Sheriff's Office would like to remind survivors that they can find support services through Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA). Services offered by STESA include a confidential 24-Hour hotline, legal and medical advocacy and accompaniment, and counseling. You can reach a STESA advocate at any time by calling (805) 564-3696.
