Wink assault arrests

WINK Two Wink High School students were arrested Wednesday afternoon in connection with a Sept. 21 rape and assault of a 16-year-old Kermit girl, the Winkler County Sheriff Robert Roberts said.

Joel Chon Hernandez, 18, of 322 N. Roy Orbison Ave., in Wink, and Anthony Lee Bishop, 17, of 500 N. Rosie Dodd Ave., in Wink, were both taken out of class and arrested at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, each charged with aggravated sexual assault. Roberts said the two were being booked into the Winkler County Jail at 3:30 p.m. and will face a magistrate for a bond hearing today.

Roberts and Chief Deputy George Keely said the 16-year-old girl went to Bishop's house early in the morning, where Bishop and Hernandez allegedly assaulted her. The assault left her with head injuries requiring a hospital stay in Lubbock. Keely said she was back home in Kermit on Wednesday.

The shockwaves from the assault shook the two towns to the point where Keely had to field questions on the girl's health and her assailants from a dozen people during a visit to the post office Tuesday, he said.

"It doesn't happen much," Keely said. "We have crime, but it's not like the bigger cities ... I don't remember an actual sexual assault this year in Wink."

John Benham, superintendent for the Wink-Loving Independent School District, said he hasn't gathered much of a reaction to the arrests from students. He also said he has never had any Wink High School students arrested for anything like this in his six years at the school district.

"This is a very quiet and very safe community... This is my sixth year here, and I certainly don't remember anything of this nature happening," Benham said.