Cases combined for man accused of beating woman

Published Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 | 1:36 p.m.

Updated Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 | 4:54 p.m.

Daniel Ruiz

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A man accused of beating a woman in her home who was nabbed after allegedly stealing a woman's purse outside a book store is facing a single criminal complaint after the cases were combined.

Daniel Ruiz, 20, is charged with burglary with intent to commit a felony, robbery of an older person, kidnapping in the first degree, battery with substantial bodily harm, battery with intent to commit a felony, grand larceny of vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, burglary with intent to commit a felony and robbery of a victim over 65. He is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $25,000 bail.

District Attorney David Roger appeared in front of Justice of the Peace Melanie Andress-Tobiasson on Friday and said the cases have been combined. Ruiz didn't appear in court today but is represented by the public defender’s office.

“He has two cases in the system where it’s alleged he beat two elderly women,” Roger said. “We have combined both cases into one criminal complaint.”

Ruiz’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 23.

Police arrested Ruiz in October after he allegedly tried to steal a woman’s purse inside the Borders Bookstore at 2190 N. Rainbow Blvd., police reports said.

He was booked for grand larceny and possession of a credit card without the owner’s consent. During the arrest, detectives compared his photo with a composite sketch released in the attack of a woman in her mid-60s who was robbed and beaten in the face on Oct. 14 at her home near Buffalo Avenue and Smoke Ranch.

Ruiz allegedly came to the woman’s front door and told her he was looking for a lost dog, then left for eight minutes, the arrest report said. He returned, and she opened the door to him and began to beat her in the face, head, arms and chest with his fists, the report indicated.

He then allegedly grabbed her car keys and wallet before leaving in her 2008 Infiniti G35, which authorities later found abandoned in the same neighborhood.