By Ashley Mackin | SDUN Editor

The San Diego Police Department Sex Crimes Unit is investigating a sexual battery that occurred on March 1 on the 2900 block of Grape Street in South Park at approximately 7 p.m. and is seeking information leading to the perpetrator’s capture.

San Diego Police Lieutenant Andra Brown said a South Park resident was walking her dog when she saw the suspect walking toward her. The woman then crossed the street to avoid contact with him, Brown said, and he followed her across the street.

“About mid-block, she turned around and there he was,” Brown said. The suspect then made a comment to the woman, lunged at her and grabbed her. Brown said he grabbed her chest area and buttocks.

Brown could not detail the nature of the comment, though she said it was not particularly sexual or derogatory, but more something to get the woman’s attention.

During the attack, the woman yelled at the suspect, pushed him away and said she was going to call the police. After that, the suspect ran away.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his late 20s or early 30s with a tan to dark complexion. He is approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs between 180 – 190 pounds. He is described as having very short hair. Police added the hairstyle is similar to a military cut that is slightly grown out. At the time of the assault, the suspect was wearing a light green shirt and light-colored pants.

Brown said the woman in this case “did everything right” as far as being aware of her personal surroundings and maintaining her safety.

“She had a dog with her… and a lot of people are afraid of that or look at that as a defensive sort of thing. When she felt uneasy [with] the guy coming towards her, she crossed the street to avoid contact with him. She was a little uneasy about the situation, so she got herself out of it.” Brown said.

“She was aware of what was going on around her [and]… she didn’t want to continue walking toward this guy or closing the gap between them, so she crossed the street to get away from him,” Brown said. “She obviously extracted herself from the situation.”

Brown added the police want people to be aware of their surroundings at all times. “Any time we can encourage people to be aware of their personal surroundings from the start, they are already ahead of the game as far as personal safety and crime prevention,” she said, adding that listening to music or texting while walking at night takes away from one’s awareness. However, this was not the case in this battery incident.

Anyone with information concerning this assault is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit 619-531-2210 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Brown said generally, an attempted groper will look for someone they think would let them get away with it or who would not fight back.

“If you are walking toward someone and you’re making eye contact with them and they know you are looking them up and down,” Brown said, “and he knows ‘she can identify me,’ chances are they’re not going to victimize you.”