Photo: Yonel Hernandez Velasco
AUBURN – Yonel Hernandez Velsaco’s recent actions and arrest have merited him national fame as his bloodied face has been broadcast on various national social media outlets.
What earned the 26-year-old Auburn resident notoriety occurred on Saturday evening when he was at Regional Park acting strangely. It started when he approached a group of boys who were playing basketball and asked if he could buy the ball. He then said he could handcuff one of the boys and drag him into the pond.
As if that wasn’t enough, Velasco then went over to a 3-year-old girl who was at the park with her mom. He took the little girl’s hand and began “skipping through the grass.”
The girl’s mother and boyfriend yelled for Velsaco to stop, which he did. However, he then became aggressive towards the boyfriend, which then brought the girl’s father running from a nearby apartment.
Velasco pulled the handcuffs from his pocket, “wrapped them around his hand like brass knuckles and charged towards the father.”
That earned the suspect two punches to his face. Then deputies and medical responders arrived.
After medical attention, Velasco was charged with kidnapping, assault and attempted kidnapping and his bail was set at $1.2 million.
