Police looking for sex assault suspect

Newport Beach police released a description Wednesday of a man wanted for sexually assaulting a woman by Newport Harbor High School after investigators absolved their primary suspect Tuesday.

Police are looking for a white man, about 6-foot-3, about 220 pounds with a muscular build, who was wearing blue jeans and a blue-hooded sweat shirt with white lettering across the front.

Shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday, the 22-year-old woman was jogging on the Newport Harbor High School track. As she jogged toward the basketball courts where her car was parked, a man attacked her from behind and pinned her to the ground and groped her while covering her mouth with his hand.

She was able to scream and the man ran away, police said. Authorities arrested a man who matched the suspect’s description shortly after, but absolved him Tuesday. Police explained why they did not inform the public of the attack sooner.

“We weren’t withholding any information,” said Newport Beach Sgt. Evan Sailor, the department’s spokesman. “It wasn’t a newsworthy event to us because we had someone in custody.”

Anyone with information is urged to call Newport Beach police at (800) 550-NBPD (6273).