Deputies quickly arrest man suspected of sexually assaulting 14-year-old

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies arrested a man Tuesday morning on suspicion of sexually assaulting a girl as she walked to a school in Sonoma and attempting to abduct another girl in the same area, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman said.

Staff of Altimira Middle School informed the sheriff’s office around 8 a.m. that a man sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl. The sheriff’s office then received another call about a man with a similar description who tried to abduct a female student, sheriff’s spokeswoman Misti Wood said.

Sheriff’s deputies and detectives quickly responded to search the area and interview the victims, and the suspect was arrested within two hours, Wood said.

The suspect was taken to a hospital because of a medical condition unrelated to the alleged assaults, and his name will be released after he is booked into Sonoma County Jail, Wood said.

The sheriff’s office released preliminary information in a news release to inform the public about the assaults and to announce the suspect was arrested, Wood said.

Wood said:

“We are confident there is only one suspect and he is in custody.” 

Deputies will do extra patrols in the area of the school at 17805 Arnold Drive in Sonoma over the next week, and students should walk to school in pairs or groups and report anything suspicious, according to the sheriff’s office.