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Nearly five years after a violent attack against a woman on Stevens Creek Trail in Mountain View, a jury convicted a 34-year-old man for a crime that authorities described as a “stranger assault” that put the community on edge when it happened.
Michael Wendy Adonis, a French citizen, was convicted on Nov. 14 of kidnapping and assault with the intent to commit rape, as well as other felony and misdemeanor charges.
The kidnapping conviction carries a minimum sentence of seven years to life in prison, said Brian King, a Santa Clara County deputy district attorney, who prosecuted the case. With the remaining convictions, a judge could decide on 10 years to life at the next court trial, which is set for Dec. 14, according to King.
The case was notable for the brutality of the attack and for the way police nabbed Adonis. He was linked to the crime four days after it occurred because of bite marks that the victim inflicted on his right hand.
Early in the investigation, the Mountain View Police Department received corroborating reports from the victim and eye witnesses who came to her aid during the assault, which occurred on Feb. 25, 2019, according to the police report.
On the evening of the attack, the victim, who was visiting Mountain View from Boston on a work-related trip, decided to use Stevens Creek Trail to reach her Airbnb rental after having dinner downtown. As she was walking on the trail, she noticed that she was being followed by a man, later identified as Adonis, near the Highway 85 overpass, the report said.
Adonis approached the woman, briefly spoke to her and grabbed her, according to the investigation. As she tried to call 911 on her cell phone, Adonis wrestled the phone away and dragged her behind a utility box. The victim continued to fight Adonis who punched her repeatedly in the face and tried to muffle her screams with his hands. He also threatened to use a knife and tried to pull down her pants while pinning her on the ground, the report said.
During the altercation, the victim bit Adonis’ hand, leaving deep lacerations. Adonis briefly eased his stranglehold, which provided the woman with an opportunity to escape. She saw a couple on the trail and ran to them for help, but Adonis left the area before he could be apprehended by police, the report said.
Four days later, Mountain View police received an unrelated call about a domestic violence incident at a Santa Clara Avenue residence, where Adonis was staying with a female roommate. When questioning Adonis, police noticed numerous scabs on his right hand that looked like bite marks. Adonis provided different stories to the police about how he injured his hand. He also matched eyewitness descriptions of the trail assailant, which led the police to arrest him, the report said.
During the trial, authorities said they used DNA and fingerprint evidence from the crime scene, which was taken from the victim’s clothes and phone, that linked Adonis to the assault. The victim and other eyewitnesses also testified at the trial, The Mercury News reported on Nov. 16.
The jury took less than two hours to deliberate on the case before returning with a guilty verdict, according to court records.
Adonis was convicted of five felonies that included kidnapping and assault charges, as well as attempting to dissuade a witness by force and threats of great bodily injury. Adonis also was convicted of two misdemeanors, one for obstructing the use of a wireless communication device and the other for battery against his roommate, according to the case file.
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