North Texas police have identified the person arrested after a woman was attacked with a hammer on Thursday.
Investigators say 17-year-old Sergio Noe De Nova Duarte is behind bars, charged with aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury, a first-degree felony.
Police say the woman was jogging in the 2300 block of Shiloh Road at Bob Woodruff Park in Plano when Duarte allegedly attacked her, striking her several times with a hammer.
“There was another witness who actually called in as well when we were en route and indicated that there was a female laying on the ground with serious injuries to her and she was bleeding,” Plano Police Officer Andrae Smith said.
He said the victim’s injuries were serious but not life-threatening.
Smith said there was evidence of duct tape being used at the scene, indicating a possible attempted kidnapping.
“It could have been a lot worse than… what it was,” he said.
He praised the victim’s courage in resisting the attacker.
“She was not easy for him to display his madness and his evilness. She attempted to fight him off, and she did that, and he fled. And four hours later, he was in police custody,” Smith said.
He said evidence at the scene led investigators to Duarte’s home in Plano.
Smith said Duarte has no criminal history, but federal authorities are now reviewing his case.
“He was fingerprinted, and we immediately received information from immigration. They asked that we place a hold on this person,” he said.
Smith said police will still submit their case for prosecution in Collin County. The immigration hold means that once the case is adjudicated or processed, the suspect’s immigration status will need to be addressed.
He said the investigation remains open as detectives work to determine a motive.
Police said there is no current threat to the public, but residents will see an increased police presence in the area.