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San Diego police response delayed to Logan Heights rape scene

Roommate called SDPD for hours before she transported victim to hospital.

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego man pleaded not guilty to first-degree burglary and rape charges Tuesday in downtown court.  A judge ordered Ronald “Ronnie” Bray Jr, 34, held without bail.

Bray is accused of crawling through a window and raping a woman in the bedroom of her Logan Heights home on October 15. The alleged attack happened in the 2200 block of Ocean View Boulevard around 1:45 a.m.

The victim’s roommate was home at the time of the incident. CBS 8 is not identifying the roommate because of her ties to the alleged rape victim.

“When he broke in, she was asleep in her bed.  And when she came to, he was on top of her,” the roommate said.

The attacker then ran away from the home, police said. He took the victim’s i-phone off the bedroom table, according to the roommate, who called 911.

That’s when SDPD told the roommate officers could not immediately respond to the scene.

“The excuse that they gave us was the Padres game. They're busy because there was a Padres and Dodgers game.  And so, downtown is a little bit crazy.  And so, everyone's downtown right now so they can't help you,” the roommate recalled.

SDPD suggested she call the non-emergency line, which the roommate said she did, repeatedly.

“There was a long delay. They never showed up,” she said.

More than three hours later, the roommate ended up driving the victim to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest, where SDPD officers finally showed up to take a report.

“And, then, once we were at the hospital, they let us know there's no rape kit here.  We have to go to North County, to Poway, for a SART nurse to review you,” the roommate said. 

SDPD officers then drove the victim to a North County hospital, according to the roommate.

The next day, a friend of the victim used the "Find My I-Phone" app to track the stolen phone.  They gave the location to police, which led investigators to a home on South 28th Street, and the identification of Bray as the suspect.

“They were able to identify him because of the evidence that he left behind in the home.  And because he was already in the system, it was a match,” the roommate said.

Court records showed Ronnie Bray is an ex-con, who served prison time for at least three prior burglary convictions, as well as vehicle theft.

Bray is now facing a three-strikes sentencing enhancement.  He’s looking at life in prison if convicted of felonious assault during first-degree burglary, rape of an unconscious person, and first-degree burglary.

The victim's roommate said her friend is coping, with the help of her family and friends.

“She is surrounded by people who care about her and who have her back and I’m really proud of the way that she's dealing with the situation,” the roommate said.

Bray’s next hearing is set for November 3 in downtown court.

CBS 8 reached out via email to a lieutenant in SDPD’s media relations department seeking comment on the delayed response to the rape scene. 

The SDPD spokesperson did not respond.   

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