San Diego

Sketch Released of Vista Attempted Rape Suspect

A sketch was released Wednesday of the man the San Diego Sheriff's Department (SDSO) said grabbed an 18-year-old woman and attempted to rape her in Vista.

The alleged attack happened as the woman was walking on a sidewalk in Vista on June 11, SDSO said.

She told deputies, that afternoon, the man approached her on Civic Center Drive on a black BMX bicycle and started making sexual comments towards her, SDSO Deputy Adriana Uribe said. 

She went into a nearby taco shop to wait for the man to go away and, when she thought he was gone, continued her walk on Civic Center Drive. 

The man again approached the woman on his bicycle, this time, grabbing her buttocks, SDSO said. 

"The suspect made sexual comments to the victim and told her that he was going to take her and sexually assault her," Uribe said. 

The suspect grabbed the 18-year-old and tried to pull the woman off the sidewalk and into a nearby building before pushing her to the ground when she resisted, SDSO said. 

The woman was able to break free from the man and began screaming, Uribe said. She began to scream and the suspect eventually was scared away, heading westbound towards Eucalyptus Avenue. 

After the incident, a bystander drove the woman home where her family called the Sheriff’s Department.

The suspect is described as a thin, in his early 20s and clean shaven with black wavy hair. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a black short sleeve t-shirt. He was estimated to be 5 foot 6 and weigh 150 lbs.

The owner of the taco shop said the suspect didn't appear on his security camera footage.

Detectives from the Vista Station are investigating this assault. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest.

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