ATLANTA — The now-former Cobb County officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman in his patrol car is in jail accused of two felonies.
And the police chief is speaking in no uncertain terms of how disappointed he is in what investigators believe the officer did.
"The men and women of this department, that work and serve in communities across Cobb County are appalled by this person's actions," Chief Tim Cox said Tuesday. "I, as a chief of police, am appalled by this person's actions."
The chief's stern words come after what the victim said happened on May 17 outside a self-service car wash near South Cobb Drive.
Investigators said Cobb County Police Officer Andres Alcaraz saw a woman they described as transient. And Alcaraz considered her suspicious. So, they said, he put her in the back of his patrol car and drove her a quarter mile away to the back of a shopping center.
His in-car camera was off as was his bodycam, according to the chief, and then, the chief said, Alcaraz sexually assaulted the woman.
"We are extremely disturbed," Chief Cox said.
Cox said the woman was reluctant to come forward at first.
"I think there was concern on her part whether the complaint might be taken seriously or not," he said.
However, the chief said the woman eventually came to believe the department was taking a close look at her claims.
"Her statements were very credible, which has led us to other evidence," Cox said.
Alcaraz was suspended - then he resigned. He now sits in jail charged with sexual assault by law enforcement and violation of his oath, and both charges are felonies. Chief Cox isn't disclosing just yet what evidence investigators have in the case, such as possible surveillance video from nearby cameras, or the woman's DNA in the patrol car.
But the chief was clear that the information they have is strong.
"We're confident in our evidence, and it is not a he-said, she-said situation," he said.
Alcaraz had been a Cobb County police officer for 4 years. The chief said Alcaraz had an average number of complaints against him - the sort that officers routinely face. He was cleared of each.
No one at the home of the married father and military veteran would comment Monday night. Chief Cox said the investigation is still active. He added that it's too soon to know if Alcaraz may face additional charges in the case - or additional charges possibly involving other women.
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