'Thought I was going to die': Santa Ana sexual assault victim recalls attack

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman who survived a sexual assault in Santa Ana recalled the frightening attack.

Santa Ana police said the suspect struck late Tuesday evening in the 1600 block of South Pacific Avenue.

"I thought I was going to die," the victim, who Eyewitness News has not identified, said. "He was actually unbuckling his pants."

The victim said the suspect approached her while she was sitting in her car in front of her home.

"I saw a male approaching my car standing at my driver window," she recalled.

The woman said before she could move, the man opened the door, pulled down his pants and began touching himself.

She said the suspect forced his body on top of hers.

"Screaming at the top of my lungs," she explained. "And he just kept turning side-to-side."

After she kicked and screamed, the suspect ran away.

"Terrified. I feel like I no longer have a home, I can't go home," the victim said.

Authorities said the man was caught fleeing the scene on surveillance video. They also believed the suspect approached another occupied car about 15 minutes later.

"In that incident he was armed with a knife, so now we believe this individual is a violent sexual predator," Cpl. Anthony Bertagna with the Santa Ana Police Department stated.

Officials said the suspect got spooked during the second incident and ran away.

Police described the suspect as a Hispanic man, 24 to 30 years old, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a medium-to-dark complexion and distinctive pock marks on his face.

Anyone with information that could aid detectives in their investigation was urged to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227.

Download the free ABC7 Los Angeles app for breaking news, weather and local stories on-the-go