Search underway for sexual assault suspect after 3rd woman attacked at same Aliso Viejo park
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (KABC) -- Orange County deputies are looking for a man who may be responsible for three sexual assaults near a popular walking trail in Aliso Viejo.
The latest attack happened at about 11p.m. Saturday near the area of Pacific Park Drive and Alicia Parkway at Woodfield Park, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
The victim, a woman in her 40s, told detectives she was walking alone in the area -- which features a greenbelt to the north, a shopping center on the southwest corner and a condominium complex on the southeast -- when a man grabbed her from behind and dragged her into some bushes, where she says she lost consciousness. When she awoke, her assailant had disappeared.
She could not provide his description to investigators, nor could she say what happened in the bushes, as she had passed out.
On Sunday morning, deputies conducted a search of the area for evidence, and Special Victims Detail investigators were working with the crime lab to determine if suspect DNA can be collected, authorities said.
Investigators said that area is where two other attacks happened last year.
On Jan. 20, 2020, a 22-year-old woman was skateboarding in the area when she was grabbed by a man. She fought back and the man fled.
On April 2, 2020, a woman told detectives a man grabbed her while she was walking in that area and pulled her into the bushes. She also fought back and her attacker fled the scene.
The suspect was described as a man is his mid-30s, with dark eyes, little-to-no hair, a muscular build, wearing a black shirt, black shorts and tennis shoes.
Authorities say DNA evidence collected from the first two attacks matched, but the results couldn't be linked to anyone.
If usable DNA is collected from the latest incident, investigators will compare it to the DNA collected from the first two incidents to see if they match.
Deputies released sketches of the suspect from last year. However, it's not yet clear if the same man is responsible for all three incidents.
If you have information or may be able to identify the suspect, contact the Special Victims Detail at 714-647-7419 or Dispatch at 714-647-7000. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855- TIP-OCCS.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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