FELLSMERE — Officers detained a man Tuesday who they said slashed a woman several times with a machete – causing serious injuries – before fleeing on a bicycle. Fellsmere police identified the man as Christhian Aaron Garcia Espinoza, 36, who they previously described as armed and dangerous as law enforcement officials searched for him earlier following the attack Monday night and throughout the day Tuesday.
Christhian Aaron Garcia Espinoza PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“She was cut on multiple locations on her body,” said Scott Newsom, Fellsmere police chief.
Garcia Espinoza was booked Tuesday evening at the Indian River County Jail on charges of committing an act that could cause death, robbery by sudden snatching with firearm or weapon, battery by strangulation, hinder witness communication information to law enforcement and two counts of second-degree petit theft, jail records show. He was being held without bond.
The incident happened about 8:05 p.m. Monday inside a residence in the 100 block of South Cypress Street, south of County Road 512, Newsom said. Fellsmere police and Indian River County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene.
Garcia Espinoza and the woman were roommates at the time of the attack, according to Newsom.
Christhian Aaron Garcia Espinoza PHOTO PROVIDED
“The (woman) and (Garcia Espinoza) both lived in the house in separate rooms,” Newsom said. Newsom said the property owner was not listed.
Garcia Espinoza stole the woman’s cell phone and took the machete with him before riding off on the woman’s bicycle. It was unclear if police recovered the machete.
The woman, 35, was taken to Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, officials said.
Police later found Garcia Espinoza in the 50 block of North Broadway Street, about half-a-mile from where the attack occurred, jail records show. Officers detained Garcia Espinoza and took him to the county jail.
