A man accused of sexually assaulting several women on a popular Carlsbad hiking trail pleaded not guilty in court Monday. Police say the alleged attacks happened at Calavera Preserve, a well-known hiking area in North County.
Prosecutors say 22-year-old Felix Blanco grabbed women from behind as he rode past them on an e-bike. Blanco is charged with seven counts of sexual battery. Authorities say he was previously arrested and charged with a similar crime in Oceanside back in December.
During the court hearing, a judge ordered Blanco to stay away from the alleged victims.
“You understand that you must stay 100 yards away from these individuals, their home, their job, their vehicle, their school. You understand? Yes?” said Judge Adelaida Lopez.
Carlsbad police say Blanco is responsible for several assaults targeting women hiking at the Calavera Preserve. Investigators allege he approached women from behind on his e-bike and slapped them on the bottom.
Blanco was arrested Friday at the hiking trails after police responded to a report from a victim.
Hikers said the arrest brings some relief but does not erase the fear.
“It’s good, you know, to know that this person was arrested but I mean I think as a female, right, we always think about these things. But knowing that somebody is targeting women in that way, that’s always like a really scary and unfortunate thing,” one hiker said.
The judge denied a request for GPS monitoring and set Blanco’s bail at $250,000.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.