Tri-Cities man charged with raping, beating woman he met on a dating site

A Tri-Cities man is in jail accused of abusing and raping a woman he met on a dating site.

Hector Miguel Mendez, 38, was arrested Monday after Kennewick police were called for a welfare check and found a woman covered in bruises who appeared to have been badly beaten.

In speaking to the victim, officers learned that Mendez allegedly had been abusing her for three days and had also raped her, according to court documents.

At one point he also allegedly assaulted her when she tried to leave a room, leaving her afraid he would do so again.

He was inside the home asleep on a couch when police arrived. He allegedly lied about his name to officers and asked them why they were there, “Because of a couple of bruises?”

The officers tried to read Mendez his Miranda rights, but he said he did not understand and then stopped speaking with officers, saying, “I plead the fifth.”

Officers tried to take him to Trios Hospital to be medically cleared to be jailed because he had been drinking, but he refused to take a breathalyzer test or get out of the police car. Officers were unable to get him into the hospital to be cleared, said the documents.

They attempted to take him to the jail, but staff insisted on a medical clearance first, so he was taken back to the hospital and agreed to go inside that time.

He was then arrested on investigation of second-degree rape, fourth-degree assault domestic violence, second-degree assault domestic violence, unlawful imprisonment and making false statements.

Jail records show Mendez is still on probation for a 2023 assault conviction in Franklin County.

He was booked into the Benton County jail on Tuesday, where he is being held in lieu of $200,000 bail.