An Aliso Viejo woman woke up in the bushes after being attacked by a suspect who potentially sexually assaulted two women in the same area over a year ago, police said Aug. 29.
A woman in her 40s was attacked on Aug. 28 at 11 p.m. by an unknown male while walking alone near Woodfield Park alongside the Aliso Creek Trail, Orange County Sheriff spokesman Todd Hylton told The Epoch Times.
“This area is a well-known hiking trail which is frequented by many people,” Hylton said. “We want to remind the community to report any suspicious activity to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.”
The victim was grabbed from behind when she suddenly lost consciousness. She was unable to see her attacker before being dragged into the bushes.
The attack comes after two attacks in the same area a year ago, in January and April 2020. The sheriff’s department obtained new DNA from the recent attack, which they will use to determine if there is a connection to the previous incidents.
The two sexual assault cases that occurred near Woodfield Park last year involved a 22-year-old woman riding a skateboard and a female in her 30s who was walking along a hiking trail before the suspect forced her into the bushes.
Both victims were able to successfully describe the suspect, and the Orange County Crime Lab confirmed that the DNA from both cases matched, but the DNA wasn’t found within existing law enforcement databases.
The results from the most recent assault are currently pending, and it’s not known whether the DNA is a match to the 2020 incidents.
The sheriff’s department is urging residents to report any suspicious activity along with additional information that can help identify the suspect. Public information can be sent to OCSD at 714-647-7419, or anonymous tips can be submitted at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
