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SALT LAKE CITY — A South Salt Lake man is accused of grabbing and sexually assaulting a woman in the bathroom of a Salt Lake City nightclub.
Raul Ireneo Hernandez, 39, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with object rape, a first-degree felony.
A woman told police she was in the women’s restroom at Area 51 nightclub on April 28 when a man, later identified by police as Hernandez, came out of one of the stalls and “took her by surprise,” according to charging documents.
The woman said the man grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a stall, where he sexually assaulted her, the charges say. She told police she was able to get away from him and run out of the restroom.
Police believe the assault was random and the attacker and victim are not acquainted.
When interviewed by investigators in September, Hernandez said he was alone in the bathroom with the woman but said he did not do anything wrong.
A warrant was issued for his arrest on Thursday.
