Berkeley Stalking Suspect Charged: Cops

BERKELEY, CA — A Berkeley stalking suspect was arrested Thursday in connection with two separate incidents that occurred that day, police said.

Prosecutors on Tuesday charged the suspect, who police identified as a 33-year-old man, with assault with assault with the intent to commit a sex crime and two counts of stalking with criminal enhancements, the Berkeley Police Department said.

The suspect is accused of following two women and threatening one of them with rape Thursday evening in the area of Ohlone Park, police said.

At around 5 p.m., a woman in her 20’s was walking in the area of Hearst Avenue and MLK Jr Way when she was first approached by the suspect, who had just emerged from Ohlone Park, police said.

The woman hastened her pace as she heard the suspect yelling at her and started running when she saw the man closing in on her, police said.

The woman flagged a motorist seeking help, and after getting inside the motorist’s car for safety, the suspect threatened to rape the woman the next time he saw her, police said.

Responding Bike Force officers found the suspect inside Ohlone Park and detained him, police said.

Officers investigating the case learned that there was also an earlier call about a suspicious incident near Ohlone Park—where a man followed a woman and tried to get her to come over to him around 4:10 p.m., according to police.

“Thankfully, both women were able to run to safety in both incidents,” police said in a statement.