BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A court commissioner postponed the arraignment of a man accused of groping a 14-year-old girl in Bakersfield after a prosecutor said the man has an ongoing case involving “similar facts” in Fresno County.
Court Commissioner Roger H. Ponce Jr. on Friday moved Timothy Kensavath’s arraignment to next week, at which time he said he expects to receive details about the prior case and decide whether to increase bail or, as requested by the prosecution, deny it altogether.
The alleged victim’s mother, Suzanne Mendoza, told Ponce her daughter has lived in fear since the incident. She said she believes Kensavath poses a threat to other young girls.
Kensavath is free on $115,000 bail after being charged with felony sexual battery and annoying or molesting a child, a misdemeanor.
The Bakersfield incident occurred April 25 as two girls, both 14, were walking home from Freedom Middle School, heading east on Hageman Road at about 3:30 p.m. Security footage captured a man identified as Kensavath approach them from behind.
The girls ran to one of their homes, where the victim called Mendoza at work.
A Ring camera captured a shot of a pickup parked on the street at about the time of the incident. The photo was posted and shared on social media.
The next day, the Mendoza family got word the truck had been spotted. Suzanne’s husband, Victor Mendoza, found the truck and saw the driver matched the description his daughter gave of the suspect. He chased the man to a car wash on Niles Street, where police were called and took Kensavath into custody.