Homeless Man Admits Sexually Assaulting Woman In Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS, CA — A 27-year-old transient accused of trying to sexually assault two women in Palm Springs on the same day pleaded guilty Tuesday to one of the assaults in a deal with prosecutors that let him avoid charges on the second.

Jonathan Nava was accused of forcing his way into an office building and a park bathroom stall hours apart on Oct. 27, 2017 in an attempt to sexually assault the women.

Nava pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to commit rape and one count of burglary. Another count of assault with intent to commit rape, as well as a felony false imprisonment charge, were dismissed as part of the deal, according to John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

Nava is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

According to Palm Springs police, Nava forced his way into an office building in the 1100 block of North Indian Canyon Drive just before 10 a.m., chasing after a woman who was able to flee and call police. Nava fled before officers arrived, but at that point, officers hadn't concluded that the attack was sexual in nature, police said.

Just after noon that day, officers were called to Ruth Hardy Park on a report of a man trying to sexually assault a woman inside a bathroom stall there.

The woman, who was in the stall to change clothes for work, was heard screaming by witnesses at the park. Nava allegedly forced his way into the stall, but fled after witnesses entered the bathroom, according to police.

A search of the area led to Nava's arrest just after 1 p.m. at Via Chica and Via Altamira, just southwest of the park. Following his arrest, officers found that he matched the suspect description from the office building attack and believed he was trying to sexually assault that woman as well.