Woman rescued from accused attacker by neighbors

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Orlando police officers say some good neighbors helped prevent a woman from being sexually battered right in her own apartment.

Diana Roman knew something was wrong, when she heard her neighbor screaming.

"I called the cops right away," she said.

Police say it was in the middle of the afternoon when a man tried sexually battering a woman in her apartment. Roman and two other women who live in the complex ran to help.

"I said, 'Let me get in! It's me, Diana, from upstairs! We're out here, open the door it's us!'"

Officers said 19-year-old Albert Carmonacotto was dragging the woman by the hair and choking her as he tried to sexually batter her.  After neighbors arrived, he opened the door.

"I said, 'Are you crazy? Are you crazy?'"

That's when the suspect got a brutal surprise of his own from one of the three ladies who arrived to rescue their neighbor.

"When he came out of the room, she hit him with a stick. 'Why are you doing that to her?  Why are you doing that to her?'"

Investigators said the neighbor used a plunger handle on the suspect.  

"I went and start pounding on the door, so I guess that scared him off," she said. 

And police say one of the neighbors took out a cell phone and started recording the suspect as he tried to get away.

"He's deaf in both ears. That might be difficult."

Carmonacotto didn't say anything during his first appearance. Police say he's bipolar and deaf. He is charged with attempted sexual battery and false imprisonment. According to investigators, the victim baby sits for Carmonacotto's mother.

When asked if she was afraid, Roman replied, "Not really. I'm from New York.  I'm not afraid."

Roman and her friends said they'll be watching over their neighbor as she recovers,

"I love her she's an awesome person, nobody should do that."

We  talked to the victim's mother.  She says she is grateful to the neighbors who helped her daughter.