Older woman assaulted during home invasion

ARLEY      -  A 19-year-old man who allegedly injured an elderly woman when forcing his way into her home during a home invasion, faces burglary and assault charges, as well as possible deportation back to Mexico after it was discovered he was in the country illegally, authorities said.
Yonatan Jesus DeLos Santos Morales, with a listed address of 1197 Harvey Drummond Road, Bremen, has been charged with burglary third degree, assault third degree, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespassing first degree, according to Winston County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Josh Edwards.
Law enforcement believe that Morales has given a false address after they found a identification card from Mexico, but none of the required identification normally found on United States citizens, Edwards noted.
Arley Police Chief Jerry Cummings, the first on the scene, found a family member of the elderly woman with Morales, with the family member having detained Morales off the side of the road, he said.
“You have a senior citizen home cooking some cookies and he comes into her house,” Cummings pointed out. “It could have been a whole lot worse than it actually was.”
The sheriff’s office received a call around 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, with the caller advising that her 82-year-old mother had been forced from her home on County Road 12, by a Hispanic male, Edwards stated.
Morales had allegedly forced his way into the elderly woman’s residence.  After a brief struggle, the woman fled on foot, running to her daughter’s residence about 50-100 yards away, Edwards said.
“The victim stated she heard her door bell ring,” said Edwards. “She went to her front door and saw a Hispanic male looking down at his cell phone.
“She thought that he may need help, that he may be broken down,” Edwards continued.
The elderly lady opened her main door and was  attempting to open her glass storm door, when Morales reportedly grabbed the door and pulled it open, according to Edwards.
“He grabs her by the chest, pushes her up against the door,” said Edwards. “She fights back and is able to get out through the front door.”
The elderly woman sustained injuries to her arms and  hands during the altercation, law enforcement said.
Morales went into the woman’s house and closed the door, while the woman ran to the residence of her daughter, who called 9-1-1, authorities said.
The woman’s son-in-law then went to her residence, entering through the carport, but not finding Morales inside, according to Edwards.
Law enforcement found evidence that Morales had locked himself in a bedroom and, once the son-in-law entered the residence, jumped approximately 20 feet to the ground from a bedroom window, law enforcement said.
Once the son-in-law went back outside, he saw Morales coming from behind the residence, where he  confronted him and kept him detained until law enforcement arrived, authorities said.
When the sheriff’s office arrived after Cummings, Morales was detained by them and placed into custody, after being informed Morales had tried to escape from the son-in-law twice, Edwards stated.

*When a defendant is charged with a crime, the charge is merely an accusation until or unless the person is proven guilty in a court of law.