Man to be tried in repeated abuse of woman

A Carson City man jailed in July for abusing his girlfriend and keeping her locked in a closet was bound over on 25 felony counts Friday.

After eight hours of testimony put on by District Attorney Neil Rombardo, Carson City Justice of the Peace Pro Tem David Nielsen found there was enough evidence to try Esiquio Hernandez, 33, on two counts of battery with a deadly weapon, mayhem, aggravated stalking, two counts of coercion using force or immediate threat of force, assault with a deadly weapon, second-degree kidnapping, 15 counts of battery constituting domestic violence, domestic battery by strangulation, domestic battery causing substantial bodily harm, three counts of false imprisonment.

The criminal complaint alleges that in the four months of their relationship Hernandez locked his girlfriend nude in the closet while he worked, whipped her with a cable cord, forced her to eat urine-soaked food, choked her with his hands, forearm and her own purse, cut her with a razor blade, threatened her with a knife, broke her arm, beat her with a hammer, threatened to harm her family, refused to allow her to seek medical help, held her captive in a bathroom and on one occasion would not let her leave their bed, among other abuses.

Hernandez was arrested July 16 after neighbor's allegedly witnessed Hernandez beating his girlfriend and dragging her into their Saliman Road apartment.

When officers attempted to contact Hernandez he could allegedly be heard through the apartment door stating, "You're going to have to come in and get me," according to the arrest report.

The officer could also hear a woman inside screaming and they kicked the door in.

"Esiquio Hernandez was immediately detained while lounging on a mattress watching television right next to the door that was being banged upon," the report states.

The woman was found "in the fetal position, tucked behind a large hutch," according to the report.

Hernandez remains in custody on $50,000 bail. He will be arraigned in District Court on Aug. 22.