Bail set at $1 million for Kent man accused of attacking, trying to rape barista at coffee stand

KENT, Wash. -- Bail was set at $1 million Thursday for a 33-year-old Kent man accused of attacking and trying to rape a bikini barista at a coffee stand in Kent early Tuesday morning.

In probable cause documents filed in court, police said the man, upon his arrest, was shown a still surveillance image from the incident and agreed that it was him in the photo, "but stated he had no recollection of driving to the coffee stand or committing the actual act."

Q13 News does not typically name suspects until formal charges are filed.  He is being held in the King County Jail for investigation of burglary, kidnapping and assault charges.

The barista, a 30-year-old Bonney Lake woman, told officers that the man came to the Hottie Shots Espresso coffee stand window on foot and ordered a drink at about 4:45 a.m. Tuesday. She said while she was distracted making the drink, the man climbed through the window and held her at knifepoint, then forced her outside into a dark alleyway near the stand, where he tried to sexually assault her.

"During his attempt to sexually assault her, he was spooked by the vehicle headlights of a customer that pulled into the barista stand drive-through," the Kent Police Department said in a news release.

Kent police released a surveillance video so that the public might be able to help ID the assailant. Police said multiple tips from family members, co-workers and a DOC Officer came in identifying the suspect in the surveillance and that led to his arrest.

 

Police said in the court documents that they asked for the high bail because of the violent nature of the crime and because the man, who was most recently living in a halfway house, has seven felony convictions and "with his history, he will likely re-offend. He is a danger to the community, currently on DOC (Department of Corrections supervision)."