Car shop manager suspected in assaults

The manager of an auto repair shop in Garden Grove was arrested Thursday on suspicion of sexually attacking women on two occasions after luring them into the station’s service bay.

Police said Adrian Fuente, 39, assaulted the first woman during business hours Oct. 30 at the Econo Lube and Tune, in the 6900 block of Chapman Avenue.

The woman was waiting for an oil change when the manager allegedly told her that her car had major problems and that he needed to take her to the underground service bay to show her. Police say he shoved her onto an oil pan and sexually assaulted her.

The woman reported the incident, but her report was incomplete, and the investigation was slowed for weeks because she was not available to be interviewed, said Sgt. Ted Peaslee of the Garden Grove Police Department.

Fuente allegedly attacked a second woman Dec. 14, again luring the customer to the underground service bay.

Police said the business owner, Steve Hong, has been cooperative.

In an interview with The Times, Hong said Fuente had worked at the station for three months. “I checked his references. They said he wasn’t a good worker, but he wasn’t a bad worker either. There were no problems like this.”

Hong said: “I checked the surveillance video for one of the incidents. There were four people working nearby and apparently didn’t notice anything. It’s a very strange situation.”

Fuente is being held at Theo Lacy Jail in Orange on one charge of sexual battery and one charge of rape.

Police suspect that Fuente may have committed other attacks and asked anyone with information to call Det. Pete Arellano at (714) 741-5835.

garrett.therolf@latimes.com