South Bay Rape Suspect Arrested: Police

GILROY, CA — A transient man was arrested this week on suspicion of rape, attempted murder and kidnapping, police said.

Gilroy Police officers responded around 11 p.m. on Tuesday to a report of a man and woman yelling under a bridge in the 300 block of Welburn Ave.

Suspect Arrested for Rape, Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, and Other Charges. https://t.co/P7pPFGqDTA
— Gilroy Police (@GilroyPD) July 8, 2020

Officers noticed the woman calling for help and a shirtless man fleeing from the area.

The woman reported that the suspect, later identified as 32-year-old Mohammed Novbakhtian, had forcibly kidnapped, raped, choked and beaten her under the bridge, according to police.

Officers quickly apprehended Novbakhtian and the woman was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The woman did not know Novbakhtian, police said.

Novbakhtian was on active felony probation, police said.

Novbakhtian was booked into Santa Clara County Jail.

— Bay City News contributed to this report