Local News

RICHMOND (CBS 5 / AP / BCN) ― A fourth man sought on suspicion of gang-raping a woman last month while allegedly taunting her for being a lesbian, turned himself in to Richmond police Thursday — just hours after authorities announced the arrests of three others in the attack.

Joshue Gonzalez, 21, was arrested Thursday afternoon on a $1 million arrest warrant for gang rape, kidnapping for a sex crime and carjacking, according to police Lt. Mark Gagan.

Gagan said Gonzalez' mother saw TV coverage of the police announcement of the arrests of an otherman and two teens in the case, and his family brought him to the Richmond police station to surrender about 12:50 p.m.

Gonzalez, who had prior addresses in Richmond and San Rafael, asked for an attorney when he arrived at the police station but said nothing about his alleged role in the attack, Gagan said.

Gonzalez has a criminal history and police had said he was considered armed and dangerous,

Officers had arrested Humberto Hernandez Salvador at his Richmond home Wednesday night, police said. The 31-year-old was being held without bail on gang rape, kidnapping for a sex crime, carjacking and probation violation charges.

Police on Wednesday also arrested a 15-year-old Richmond boy and a 16-year-old Hercules boy, who were being held on a no-bail status at the juvenile detention center in Martinez on similar charges as the adults. Their names were not released because of their juvenile status.

The 16-year-old was identified by the nickname "Blue" and Gonzalez was called "Pato" during the attack, Gagan said.

"We feel that while these four suspects were at large, a large cross-section of our population felt unsafe," Gagan said. "Now that the fourth one is behind bars we can all breathe a sigh of relief."

Authorities said they did not know whether any of the four accused in the attack had retained an attorney. Public defenders would not be appointed to them until their first court appearances, which could come as early as next week, Gagan said.

Detectives said the 28-year-old victim was brutally attacked on Dec. 13 after she got out of her car, which bore a rainbow gay pride sticker. The alleged attackers made comments indicating they knew she was a lesbian, police said.

Gagan said police "absolutely" consider it to be a hate crime the nature of the attack, but prosecutors will ultimately make the decision on whether to charge the case as a hate case.
 
Police said the victim lives openly with a female partner.

The 45-minute attack started when one of the men approached the woman in the 1500 block of Visalia Avenue in the city's Belding-Wood neighborhood, struck her with a blunt object, ordered her to disrobe and sexually assaulted her with the help of the others, according to detectives.

When the group saw another person approaching, they forced the victim back into her car and took her to a burned-out apartment building. She was raped again inside and outside the vehicle and left naked outside the building while the alleged assailants took her wallet and drove off in her car, police said.

Gagan indicated the woman was still recovering from the attack.

"This crime has changed her for life," he said, noting the department had received tips and calls of concern from throughout the country.

Police would not detail each person's alleged role in the attack except to say that Salvador was the most actively involved. Tips from local residents led to the arrests, Gagan said.

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