VISTA–Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a man on a bike who sexually assaulted a female pedestrian Monday in Vista.

The incident occurred approximately 1 p.m. an adult female was walking in the 500 block of Civic Center Drive in Vista when she noticed she was being followed by a male on a bicycle.

The male approached her and attempted to pull the female off of the sidewalk towards a nearby building. As the female resisted, the man pushed her to the ground and touched her inappropriately. The female was able to escape and the male fled on his bicycle.

A bystander noticed the distraught woman and checked on her welfare. After she said what had occurred, the bystander drove the female home, where her family called the Sheriff’s department. After an extensive search of the area by law enforcement, the man was not located.

The suspect is described as a thin white male, approximately 20-years-old, clean shaven, with a black short sleeve t-shirt, black short wavy hair, and riding a black BMX style bicycle. He was estimated to be 5’6″ tall and weigh 150 pounds.

Detectives are investigating the incident.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the Vista Patrol Station at (760) 940-4551, or the Sheriff’s Communication Center at (858) 565-5200.