Colorado Springs police have arrested a man in a sexual assault that happened more than 20 years ago.

Kenneth Hettle, 41, is being charged with sexual assault with a weapon, according to his arrest affidavit obtained by The Gazette.

The crime occurred about 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 10, 2001, when officers responded to a call from the victim, a woman who is now 43.

The woman told police that she awoke to a man pushing her face into her pillow. The man told her not to move or scream because he had a knife.

He then reportedly sexually assaulted her twice, pinning her so that she could not move.

The victim told police the suspect was wearing a stocking cap over his head and that he had told her she would know who he was when it was over.

After the assault, the suspect got up and looked out her window and asked “who’s that?” before running out of the apartment minutes later.

It is believed the suspect got into the apartment through her sliding-glass door, which was found open after the assault.

Based on witness testimony, officers identified Hettle as a suspect at the time. They attempted to make contact with him for questioning, but Hettle avoided it.

Records say that investigators found Hettle’s apartment, which was in the same complex where the assault happened, but he had unexpectedly moved out.

DNA evidence was collected from the scene of the rape.

Over two decades later, lab reports showed Hettle was the source of the DNA profile, prompting police to order a warrant to collect a sample of Hettle’s saliva.

On March 21, police interviewed Hettle and collected a DNA sample, which has been sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Forensic Lab.

A Police Department spokesperson said the tests will be part of the evidence that is introduced at court but would not say whether the sample matched DNA collected at the time of the incident.

Hettle is scheduled for an arraignment hearing at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 8.

Aside from sexual assault, he is facing charges of first-degree burglary and false imprisonment with the threat of force for his alleged involvement in the crime.

Hettle is allegedly involved in another crime where he violated a restraining order against a woman in January, according to another arrest affidavit.

The victims in that case, a 48-year-old female and a juvenile, told police that Hettle started breaking things with a bat inside their home after the woman discovered he was using drugs again and told him to leave. She told police Hettle had threatened to beat her.

The woman had let Hettle live in a motor home behind the residence despite his restraining order for two weeks until their fight on the night of Jan. 27.

The juvenile told police that he stayed in his room for most of the fight.

Records state the woman had called police 10 times that night over the course of an hour.

The restraining order was issued on December, and it prohibits Hettle from assaulting, threatening, harassing and communicating with the protected party.

On top of charges for violating a protection order, Hettle is being charged with child abuse, second-degree burglary and criminal mischief for his alleged involvement.