Westside assaults yield new suspect

Deepa Bharath

Police are warning the public there may be another man grabbing women

and fondling them in a Westside neighborhood.

A 31-year-old woman and 15-year-old girl were the most recent

victims in a string of assaults since early December, police said.

They were attacked in a Westside apartment building Sunday afternoon,

police said. The assaults bring the total number to 10.

The attackers grab women from behind and fondle them, authorities

said. The attacks have happened on or near Victoria Street.

Sunday’s assaults, although similar to the others, are not

believed to have been committed by the same men wanted in the earlier

attacks, said Costa Mesa Police Lt. John FitzPatrick.

“We believe it’s definitely a different person who struck this

time,” he said. “Whether he was affiliated or whether it was a

copycat incident, that’s hard to say.”

The assailant this time was reportedly a teenager, believed to be

about 16 or 17 years old, about 5-foot-6 with a thin build and brown,

spiked hair, FitzPatrick said.

The first attack happened at about 2:29 p.m. in the 1700 block of

West Wilson Street, which is parallel to Victoria, he said. The

attacker grabbed the girl from behind as she was walking into the

apartment building and fondled her, FitzPatrick said. The same

attacker grabbed the woman about 10 minutes later in the same way and

fondled her, he added.

Police have released composite drawings of two assailants based on

witness descriptions. Police have also been distributing fliers in

the Westside neighborhood informing residents about the attacks and

asking them to be cautious, FitzPatrick said. Attacks were reported

in the neighborhood in December, January and April.

Costa Mesa Police will also hold two rape awareness seminars,

FitzPatrick said. The first one is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 4 at the

Westside Substation, 567 W. 18th St. A second one will be held 7 p.m.

May 13 in the Costa Mesa Police Department’s auditorium. The

department is at 99 Fair Drive. Spanish translators will be available

at the hour-long sessions, FitzPatrick said.

The seminars will offer various safety tips and information on

where victims can receive counseling.

For more information about the seminars, call Crime Prevention

Specialist Sue Hupp at (714) 754-5658.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.