Man Wearing Clown Mask Sexually Assaults Woman, Robs Another Minutes Later

A man wearing a clown mask robbed a woman and sexually assaulted another on the same day in Victorville, California.

Joel Hernandez, a 22-year-old resident of Hesperia, was arrested Tuesday. Both his victims were in their 50s and were able to identify him.

The first woman, aged 54, was withdrawing money from the Arrowhead Credit Union ATM at 5.14 p.m. Tuesday when Hernandez stole $500 from her. He was dressed in a red sweatshirt and was wearing the "It" clown mask during the robbery, NBC LA reported.

The victim called 911 and said she was robbed at the parking lot near the ATM.

Deputies spotted "a Hispanic male matching the physical description of the suspect" walking in the area, the Victorville Police Department said in a statement.

They detained the man and found that he had $500 inside his backpack.

"He had a backpack he was carrying. In that backpack, they located the money that was taken from the victim, as well as some other items that helped ID him as the suspect," said Mara Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, reported KTLA 5 News. "They also recovered that plastic clown mask and another ski mask that he was apparently wearing at the time."

The 54-year-old victim positively identified Hernandez as the man who robbed her.

Officials received another 911 call from a 50-year-old woman moments before the robbery was reported. The two crimes had occurred just minutes apart.

The woman said a man in a clown mask sexually assaulted and groped her at the El Super Market parking lot. She also positively identified Hernandez as the suspect who sexually assaulted her.

"I know that he did approach her from behind while she was at her car, and he basically grabbed her and held her for just a matter of seconds," Rodriguez added.

The man was arrested for robbery and sexual battery. He is being held on a bail amount of $200,000.

Investigators have released his photograph and believe he might be part of other crimes.

Officials urged anyone with "information about this investigation or another crime involving Hernandez" to inform authorities.