Parking Attendant Accused In Alleged Stagecoach Musical Festival Rape
INDIO (CBS) — A Los Angeles man, accused of raping a 23-year-old female concertgoer at last weekend's Stagecoach Country Music Festival, will face a judge on May 13, authorities announced Thursday.
Darin Ledale Garrett, 46, who was working at the festival as a parking lot attendant, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges of rape, oral copulation by force and digital penetration.
Garrett was arrested Sunday morning in his motel room at Indio's Palm Tree Inn, said Ben Guitron of the Indio Police Department.
The Los Angeles man allegedly raped the victim about 9:50 p.m. Saturday, on the opening night of the annual country music festival held at the Empire Polo Grounds, Guitron said.
Garrett offered assistance to the woman, who was looking for her car in an overflow parking lot, police said. When the two located the car, the defendant allegedly attacked her.
"The parking attendant stayed with her and then asked her to walk toward the rear area of the car," Guitron said. "At that time, the suspect sexually assaulted her and left when other people in the parking lot area noticed that she was in need of help."
Garrett is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
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