Sexual Battery Suspect On Bike Path Sought By Palo Alto Police

PALO ALTO, CA — Officers are seeking the public's help in finding a man who allegedly sexually battered a woman who was running on the Los Altos-Palo Alto Bike Path, the Palo Alto Police Department reported.

The dispatch center received a report on Wednesday at 7:45 a.m. of a sexual battery that had just occurred on the bike path behind Terman Park. The victim in her 20s said she was running south toward Los Altos Avenue from Arastradero Road when she saw the suspect running towards her. The man ran past her and slapped her with an open palm on her buttocks area. The victim yelled at the suspect, and he just stared back at her and kept running.

Police searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.

The victim described him as a white male in his early 20s, standing about 6 feet, 3 inches tall with long brown hair that was pulled back. He was wearing a grey shirt with the word “STAFF” written on the back and black basketball shorts. He was holding a phone and had headphones over his ears.

Detectives are actively investigating. They do not think this is related to any previous sexual battery cases.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the free mobile app, downloadable at www.bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or www.bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.