A man resembling the rapist who assaulted a Gilroy teen near the
Uvas Creek Levee last week tried to repeat his crime Saturday
night, a 22-year-old woman told police.
Gilroy – A man resembling the rapist who assaulted a Gilroy teen near the Uvas Creek Levee last week tried to repeat his crime Saturday night, a 22-year-old woman told police.
The woman was walking through the Brownell Middle School campus at 9pm Saturday night to get to a friend’s house when the man attacked her, striking her in the back of the head with an unknown object and knocking her to the ground, she reported. She remained conscious as the man pinned her down using his weight and tried to remove her pants, police said. In his hand, she saw a small knife. The woman kicked her attacker in the groin and fled; as she ran off, she said she saw him running toward Miller Park.
The attacker is described as a light-skinned, heavyset Hispanic man, roughly 6 feet tall, weighing 220 to 230 pounds, with a shaved head, facial hair, and bruises on both hands. At the time of the assault, he wore a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black Adidas shoes with white stripes. The man spoke English. The victim told police that he resembled the man who reportedly raped a 16-year-old girl last Tuesday near the Uvas Creek Levee after striking her head from behind, about a mile away from Brownell Middle School.
Because the 22-year-old woman fought the man off, there is no DNA evidence that can be tested, said Gilroy Police Detective Mitch Madruga, who investigates sex crimes. If found, the assailant would likely be charged with assault with intent to commit rape, he said. Monday, Madruga had called the sketch artist to schedule an appointment with the 22-year-old woman.
Madruga is still investigating the rape reported last week on the levee, following community members’ tips. Thus far, he said, “there’s nothing really solid.” A sketch artist was unable to complete a drawing Thursday based on the teen’s recollections because her attacker wore a ski mask. DNA evidence from the attack is still being processed at the county crime lab, and won’t be available for at least a month.
Some parents were distressed by the apparent delay in school notification about last week’s assault, which reportedly took place behind the high school. When a Dispatch reporter called Principal James Maxwell Wednesday, he was unaware of the most recent assault, as well as a previous rape reported in the area in April. School Resource Officer Cherie Somavia had contacted the school by midday Wednesday, said assistant principal Greg Camacho-Light, but the full details of the incident weren’t shared with the principal until that afternoon, after the Dispatch contacted Maxwell. Wednesday afternoon, the school sprung into action, sending phone messages and e-mails to Gilroy High parents warning them about the rapist, and placing flyers in teachers’ mailboxes.
Somavia was unavailable to comment on how information is shared between police and the schools. Madruga said that while the principal may not have been fully informed, the assistant principals were aware of the incident, and were discussing video camera evidence with him Wednesday morning.
Anyone with information may contact Detective Mitch Madruga at 846-0350 or leave an anonymous tip at 846-0330.
