An illegal immigrant was busted after allegedly ambushing a woman from behind on a Florida beach, dragging her by the throat into the ocean and trying to drown her before leaving her for dead, cops said.
Venezuelan national Said Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, 26, carried out the “alarming” random late-night attack at Tiger Shores Beach in Stuart Thursday, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is an extremely alarming case,” Sheriff John Budensiek said during a press conference, adding the violent migrant had overstayed his work visa, WPEC reported.
“Random acts of violence like this are some of the most difficult crimes to solve – and that’s exactly what this was.”
Authorities said the victim was on the phone while walking down the shoreline alone around 11 p.m. when she passed Gonzalez, who approached her from behind minutes later and struck her before yanking her hair, grabbing her neck and forcing her head underwater.
The terrified woman told police she tried to time her breaths with the waves during the minutes-long struggle – but eventually lost consciousness.
Believing she was dead, the ruthless fiend allegedly hurled the victim’s phone into the ocean, returned to his car to smoke pot and drink vodka then fled the scene, police said.
“The next thing she recalled was waking up half in and half out of the water,” Budensiek said, noting the victim walked over a mile to Stuart Beach, where deputies found her and spotted the bruises on her neck.
Gonzalez was taken into custody Sunday when someone reported to authorities he was threatening to kill himself after claiming he had murdered a woman on a beach.
The violent suspect allegedly confessed to the brutal assault, claiming the victim made him “angry,” and chillingly told cops, “I don’t feel nothing” when asked if he felt any remorse.
Gonzalez was charged with attempted murder and was also slapped with a federal immigration detainer.
He is being held at Martin County Jail.