Santa Barbara man sentenced to 16 years for attempted rape, attempted murder

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- A Santa Barbara man was sentenced to 16 years in state prison for assault, attempted rape and attempted murder on Tuesday.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley announced that Fidel Lorenzana Lopez, 26, was sentenced to 16 years for an attack on a woman last year.

On Sept. 29, 2020, a woman went to a 7-Eleven in Goleta and was denied service because she did not have a mask. Lopez had a mask, bought alcohol for the woman on the condition that she would go to his "favorite drinking place" with him.

Lopez then drove the woman to a remote area near the Seymour Duncan parking lot that was covered with trees and shrubs. There, Lopez asked the woman to go to an even more remote place with him and she declined.

Lopez then took the woman's phone and dragged her to an area farther from the parking lot and told her he was going to kill her, the DA's office said.

Lopez then attempted to rape her. During the attack, the woman fought Lopez off before he gave up on the attempt and began to strangle her.

The woman fought him off and screamed for help.

A person nearby heard her screams and saw Lopez and the woman in the distance. The person then yelled out at them and the woman was able to escape. The woman ran to employees who helped her and called the police.

Lopez fled the scene but was arrested a few miles away.

On Feb. 16, Lopez pleaded guilty to numerous felony counts including attempted murder in the second degree, assault with intent to commit rape, kidnapping, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, felony sexual battery, robbery and dissuasion of a witness. 

The victim appeared at Lopez's sentencing and asked the County's Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Franco to make a statement on her behalf.

She wanted Lopez to know that he is where he deserves to be because he destroyed her life. She noted that it will not be easy for her to forget what he did to her, and she thanks God that she is still here with her family.  She also thanked the people who helped her that night.