SAN BERNARDINO >> Sergio Corona awoke early Thursday morning to his father-in-law yelling, “What are you doing in my house?”

“He usually only speaks Spanish so when I heard him I knew something was wrong,” said Corona on Tuesday afternoon.

The former security officer grabbed his gun and ran into the living room to find his father-in-law arguing with an unknown man in the San Bernardino family’s living room. That man was Derek Lamont Fowler, 30, a Los Angeles-area sex offender who reportedly had just broken into the home and tried to sexually assault two girls, ages 10 and 11.

“I guess he knew he wasn’t going to get out without a fight so he started throwing punches and my father did as well,” said Corona, 23, who lives with his in-laws at a home in the 1500 block of West Evans Street.

As the family struggled with Fowler, Corona’s wife pulled out her pepper spray and her sister, a security officer, used her Taser on the intruder, he said.

During the chaotic scene, Corona said one of the girls came into the living room and said Fowler had touched her.

“That’s when ‘Wifey’ and her sister started with the kicks,” Corona said, adding the women injured their feet during the tussle.

A short time later, San Bernardino police arrived and found the family holding Fowler down, police said.

Investigators learned Fowler entered the rear yard of the home and crawled through a bedroom window. Once inside, police say Fowler tried to sexually attack the girls.

Authorities learned he had possibly been in the San Bernardino area for the past few days, living on the streets prior to the alleged attack, but had no indication he had tried to break into any other homes.

Corona said the family is still shaken by the events of Oct. 6 but added they’re grateful they were able to stop Fowler.

The family is working on further securing their home.

Anyone with information can call the San Bernardino Police Department at 909-384-5637 or 909-384-5659.