Arrest made in Graton casino attack

Casino video surveillance tapes aided in a man’s arrest in the attack on a woman sleeping in a car outside of the Graton Resort and Casino in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County sheriff’s officials said Monday.

The 3:20 a.m. assault Sunday left the 28-year-old Marin County woman cut up and bruised. She’d been hit repeatedly by a man wielding a metal socket wrench, and a bloody wrench was found in the woman’s car after the man ran away, sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Pedersen said.

Surveillance tapes recording parking lot activity showed the attacker could have been driving a red Honda Civic, parked just behind the woman’s vehicle.

Detectives were watching the car for hours when a man got into it at about 2 p.m. Sunday. They arrested Leonel Baul Alinea, 35, of Daly City on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery and burglary, said sheriff’s Sgt. Shannon McAlvain, who supervised the investigation.

It appeared from the videotape that the Civic had arrived at the casino at about 11 p.m. The driver parked and may have remained in the vehicle for hours before relocating to a different parking spot at about 2:30 a.m.

Soon after, the woman and two companions arrived and parked just in front of the Honda. While the two men went inside, she stayed in the car, put her seat back and fell asleep.

Heavy fog somewhat obscured the image on the surveillance tape but a man in a black-and-white checkered sweatshirt with its hood pulled up could be seen near the woman’s car. The man apparently was walking back and forth and looking inside prior to opening the unlocked driver’s door and immediately striking the woman, Pedersen said.

The assault lasted less than a minute as the woman screamed and fought. Casino security officers responded to the screams and chased the man, who ran off the property and disappeared into a nearby business area.

The victim had several cuts to her head and other injuries. She was taken to a hospital for treatment.

McAlvain said help from the casino security officers was instrumental in the case. A review of hours of casino security tapes helped detectives focus on the red car.

Alineo’s arrest also led to an investigation into a burglary of a nearby business. He is suspected of breaking into Compumotors on Business Park Drive, where he may have hidden before returning to the casino to get his car, Pedersen said.

Detectives suspect the man stole a bicycle at some point in the day and rode it to the casino. He was attempting to load the bike into the car when he was arrested. He was not wearing a checkered sweatshirt, but that, along with a backpack taken from the woman’s car, were found in the area, Pedersen said.

Alineo was booked into the Sonoma County Jail at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday. His bail was set at $110,000 and he remained in custody Monday afternoon.

Casino spokeswoman Lori Nelson of Station Casinos declined to comment Monday regarding casino security measures or efforts by employees during the reported crime and referred questions to the Sheriff’s Office.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com or on Twitter @rossmannreport.