Manhunt Leads To Arrest Of LA Serial Sexual Assault Suspect

LOS ANGELES, CA — A days-long manhunt ended with the arrest of a 21-year-old man suspected of committing multiple sexual assaults and other crimes in rapid succession, Los Angeles police announced Wednesday.

Authorities arrested Sergio Andrew Garcia Tuesday night in Tijuana on suspicion of sexually assaulting at least two women this month in the East Los Angeles area. He is being held on $2 million bail.

Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department had warned the public to be on the lookout for Garcia following a string of violent attacks and to call 911 if they saw him. News of the violent attacks spanning less than two weeks put the community on edge.

One victim, 67-year-old Rosalina Martinez was repeatedly punched in the face by an attacker who approached her as she worked in her yard in the 1000 block of Fraser Avenue early on the morning of on July 15. She told ABC7 she was cleaning her front yard at around 6 a.m. when she was attacked.

"Suspect Garcia suddenly approached the victim from behind, pulled her hair and threw her to the ground," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

According to sheriff's detectives, Garcia "punched the victim in the face multiple times."

"I didn't know what was going on," she said in Spanish. "I screamed for help when he was punching me."

Neighbors came out and called 911 and scared off the suspect.

"Garcia was startled when a nearby citizen began yelling at him," the sheriff's statement said. "The suspect proceeded to punch the victim in the face two additional times prior to fleeing the location on a black (fixed- gear) bicycle."

Martinez has lived in the community for decades and said nothing like this has happened to her or anyone she knows before.

"Honestly I am afraid of going out alone on the street," she said. "Very scared with fear that something will happen to me again."

Authorities said earlier Garcia was suspected in a series of attacks that began around 8:35 a.m. July 10, when he allegedly followed a woman on foot from the area of Olympic Boulevard and Albany Street in the Pico-Union district, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.

According to the LAPD, Garcia sexually assaulted the woman and attempted to remove her clothing as she walked under the Harbor (110) Freeway on Olympic Boulevard, near LA Live Way.

At around 10:45 a.m. the next day, Garcia allegedly approached a woman from behind in the area of Chick Hearn Court and Georgia Street, near Crypto.com Arena, slapped her back and fled, the LAPD reported.

Garcia is suspected of committing three crimes on July 15, the same day he allegedly attacked Martinez in her yard. A few hours later, at around 9:20 a.m., Garcia allegedly approached a woman as she walked home from church in the 1300 block of South Alvarado Street, south of Pico Boulevard, in the Pico-Union district, police said. He struck her in the face multiple times, knocking her to the ground and causing her to lose consciousness, according to the LAPD, which said he stole the woman's property and ran from the scene.

At around 9:35 a.m. in the 1300 block of South Burlington Avenue, south of Pico Boulevard, Garcia allegedly approached another woman from behind as she rummaged through the trunk of her car, according to the LAPD, which said he sexually assaulted her and ran from the scene.

On Wednesday, Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters that following publicity about Garcia's alleged crime spree, investigators learned about another assault of a 55-year-old woman in East Los Angeles possibly committed by the suspect early the morning of July 10. Luna said Garcia also allegedly carjacked a vehicle with a woman inside early in the morning of July 15, and later committed another assault.

Luna and LAPD Chief Michel Moore said they believe there are additional victims who have yet to come forward.

"This person did not start this spree on the 10th of July," Moore said at a downtown news conference, adding that investigators "anticipate many more" possible victims coming forward.

Luna added, "We believe there may be additional victims out there and for one reason or another they have maybe chosen not to call the police yet. ... We really, really would like to hear from you."

He said anyone who believes they were victimized can call 800-222-8477.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.