Sexual Assault Suspect Arrested In Berkeley

BERKELEY, CA — Berkeley Police have arrested Jeremy Richard, 20, of Berkeley, on charges of Sexual Battery.

According to police, on Wednesday a 17 year old girl was walking alone when the suspect approached her and began making sexually explicit comments in an effort to “pick her up.” She told police that the suspect eventually touched her inappropriately and continued to follow her to the Trader Joe’s at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and University Avenue before walking away.

The girl called police and reported the incident at around 6:15 p.m. In addition to describing the suspect and his clothing, she told police that the suspect had introduced himself to her as “Jeremy Richard.”

About an hour later, police received a call from the 1400 block of Hopkins Street where a woman described being approached by a man who made sexually explicit comments to her in an effort to “pick her up.” She said he followed her up the driveway of her home before he walked away. The description she gave of the man was almost identical to the description from an hour earlier.

A patrol officer searching the area for the suspect spotted a man who matched the suspect’s description near the intersection of California Street and Lincoln Street. He identified himself to police as Jeremy Richard.

Richard was arrested and booked into the City of Berkeley Jail.

If you have any information about this crime call the Berkeley Police Special Victims Unit at (510) 981-5715.

-Image by Renee Schiavone, Patch