An alleged illegal immigrant was arrested for attempted rape Sunday night in Fleming by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Jose Jesus Zacarias-Rubio, 28, after observing him physically assaulting a female at 10:50 p.m. at 8 Justin Drive.

They forced entry into the residence and took him into custody.

Sheriff's deputies Tim Axton and his trainee, Brian Blowers, were tracing a driver who had fled the scene of a property damage motor vehicle accident on Mosher Road in Scipio. Witnesses supplied the deputies with Zacarias-Rubio's name and address.

Upon their arrival at the residence, one of the deputies heard loud screams coming from the rear of the residence. They had an unobstructed view through a window of a man assaulting a woman.

The woman was transported to Auburn Memorial Hospital, where she was treated and released.

Through interviews, detectives learned Zacarias-Rubio had been trying to sexually assault the woman when the deputies intervened.

Zacarias-Rubio was in possession of a fake resident alien card at the time of his arrest and may be a farm worker, authorities said. The sheriff's office is still trying to determine what farm he was working at and his legal status in the United States.

Zacarias-Rubio is also considered a suspect in the initial motor vehicle accident complaint.

Zacarias-Rubio is charged with felony attempted rape and misdemeanor second-degree unlawful imprisonment.

He was arraigned in the Town of Fleming Court and remanded to the Cayuga County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.

Anyone with more information is asked to call the county Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Unit at 253-1610.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net