Third Sexual Assault Claimed In Three Weeks In Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA -- Police are searching for a male suspect accused of sexually assaulting and robbing a female pedestrian Monday at about 4:00 a.m.

The incident allegedly occurred at the 100 block of Everett Avenue where a woman in her 30s claimed the man approached her at her parked car after she was walking westbound on the side south of the street. He asked her for spare change, and when she complied, the man hit her in the back and head before assaulting her, she told police.

She screamed and fought back. Before fleeing on foot heading eastbound on Everett then northbound on Emerson Street, the man allegedly took her wallet out of her jacket pocket.

The victim then drove herself to the police station to summon officers, who could not locate the suspect.

Paramedics from the Palo Alto Fire Department responded to the police station to treat the victim, who complained of pain to the back of her head.

The victim described the suspect as a white male in his late 20s to mid-30s, standing about 5 feet 11 inches tall with a skinny build. He had brown or dirty blonde long straight hair, an unkept beard and a beanie with a pompom on top.

Detectives are actively investigating this case. It is not related to two other recent sexual assaults in Palo Alto, and detectives have arrested the suspect in each of those two cases.

Sexual assaults committed by strangers are exceptionally rare in Palo Alto. However, three such cases have been reported within three weeks, making for a highly unusual trend.

Police recommend that people remain aware of their surroundings at all times and promptly report suspicious behavior immediately to law enforcement.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail 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.

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