New details emerge in case of retired Hanford officer accused of sexually assaulting neighbor

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Action News is learning new, disturbing details about a sexual assault allegedly committed by a retired Hanford police officer.

George Hernandez retired from the Hanford Police Department as a lieutenant in August of 2017.

He worked for the department for nearly 30 years and often gave on-camera interviews to Action News about police department cases and investigations.

But now Hernandez is the main suspect in an appalling sexual assault case. The alleged victim is his female neighbor.

"Well I mean it's horrible," Hanford Police Chief Parker Sever said. "But more importantly, it's more horrible for the victim of the crime. That's the person that we're primarily concerned about is the victim of the crime and making sure there's justice done for her."

Last Thursday, The Kings County District Attorney's Office charged Hernandez with four felonies related to the assault, including sexual battery by restraint and false imprisonment by violence.

In a request for a restraining order filed the following day, the alleged victim describes how Hernandez came over to her yard to introduce himself, smelling like alcohol, offering to give her his phone number.

After turning him down, she says Hernandez pushed her inside her own home and locked the door.

While inside, the woman says she gave him her phone number, hoping he would go away. Instead, she says Hernandez gave her a bear hug and then sexually assaulted her.

Eventually, she managed to get away from him and call her sister and 911.

"Somebody who has spent their life enforcing the law, we expect better behavior out of them," Sever said.

If convicted, prosecutors say Hernandez could serve 11 years in state prison and have to register as a sex offender for life.

Hernandez's attorney says he feels it would premature to comment, as he is still receiving discovery in the case.

Hernandez will be back in court on Thursday morning.