Authorities are seeking the public’s help in finding a man accused of beating and sexually assaulting a 67-year-old woman in front of her East Los Angeles home over the weekend, and say he is connected to at least four other attacks in the city of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as 21-year-old Sergio Andrew García. They said he approached the victim from behind and threw her to the ground on Saturday and that he repeatedly punched the woman in the face.
Garcia was startled when a neighbor began to yell at him and fled on a bicycle, authorities said. He is described as being 5 feet 5 and 180 pounds.
The attack happened in the 1000 block of Fraser Avenue around 6:15 a.m. The suspect allegedly pulled down the victim’s pants and underwear during the attack, and she told a television reporter that she believed García intended to rape her. She was recovering at home from a broken nose, bruises, and scrapes to her face and knees.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, García is responsible for at least four other attacks, including two in the Westlake District just hours after the East Los Angeles attack on Saturday.
Police said that at around 9:20 am. on Saturday Garcia approached a woman in the 1300 block of South Alvarado Street, hit her in the face, knocked her unconscious and robbed her. About 15 minutes later, in the 1300 block of South Burlington Avenue, he sexually assaulted another woman.
Police said Garcia assaulted two other women in separate incidents on July 10 and 11 in downtown Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Los Angeles County court records show that Garcia was previously arrested in July 2021 on suspicion of battery and cruel or inhuman corporal punishment against a child.
The LAPD said the suspect is known to carry a black satchel with red Gucci lettering.
Anyone with information can contact the East Los Angeles sheriff’s station at (323) 264-4151 or LAPD Det. Quintanilla at (213) 833-3750.
