By Gina Yarbrough
National City, CA–The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is searching for a suspect who attempted to sexually assault a 16-year-old girl while she was walking along a street Tuesday afternoon in the unincorporated community of Lincoln Acres.
The incident occurred just before 3 p.m. near the 2900 block of Prospect Street near Sweetwater Road, Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Kevin Ralph said in a news release.
The teen told detectives was walking along Prospect Avenue when the suspect tackled her to the ground. She was able to fight him off and run away. The suspect caught up to her, tackled her again, and tried to sexually assault her.
A Good Samaritan saw the attack and intervened, which caused the suspect to run away with the victim’s cell phone. She was not hurt in the attack.
The suspect is described as an 18-year-old Hispanic man standing around 5 feet, 11 inches tall, and weighing 180 pounds. He has short and curly hair that touches his ears. He was wearing a tan shirt with a torn collar and khaki pants. He was last seen running eastbound towards a nearby gas station along Sweetwater Road, Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Kevin Ralph said.
The investigation is being conducted by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s Sexual Assault Unit.
If you have any information about the suspect, call the Sheriff’s Sexual Assault Unit at (858) 285-6293 or the Sheriff’s Department’s non-emergency line at (858) 565-5200.
You can also call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest in this case.
Visit www.sdcrimestoppers.org for information on how to send web or mobile app tips.
