Police search for sexual assault suspect

UCI police are investigating whether a man authorities countywide have linked with sexual assaults from 2000 to 2008 may have been the same man who attacked a woman on campus over the weekend.

UCI, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and several other police departments in Orange County are looking for 32-year-old Alvaro Flores, a 5-foot-6 Latino man with a medium build, brown hair and brown eyes. According to UCI police, Flores is wanted in connection with several sexual assaults Southern California. Authorities say a series of attacks dating back to 2000 all follow the same method, where a man fitting Flores’ description sneaks up on women from behind usually between 6 and 9 a.m. or 6 and 9 p.m. as they walk to or from large apartment complexes with carports.

At about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, a woman was approached by a man from behind her threatened her in the Parking Lot 5 area near University and Campus drives. The man was described as 5-foot-8, between 170 and 180 pounds and wearing dark blue jeans and a shirt. He ran after the attack, police said.

The serial attacker is known to approach women from behind and inappropriately touch them or grope them before running away. Police say the women attacked are usually wearing skirts or dresses and carrying something like laundry or groceries.

UCI police have said it does not appear Flores was linked to Sunday’s attack but are not ruling it out, Chief of Police Paul Henisey said.

People with any information are urged to call UCI police at (949) 824-5223.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.