Deputies Seek Man Who Grabbed Girl As She Walked to School

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA - Sheriff’s deputies are seeking a man who allegedly grabbed a 13-year-old girl as she was walking to school near Watsonville Friday morning.

At around 7:20 a.m., officers responded to a report of a child annoyance incident near the corner of Calabasas and Bowker roads, according to sheriff’s officials. The teen was walking on the sidewalk when an unknown man who was walking in the opposite direction allegedly grabbed her shoulder and tried to grab her arm.

The victim slapped the man’s hand away from her.

The suspect then reached toward the victim’s buttocks and she again slapped his arm away, sheriff’s officials said. The victim was able to escape. The suspect continued to walk on Calabasas Road toward Buena Vista Drive.

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The suspect is described as a Hispanic man with a dark complexion in his early 30s, about 5 feet 3 inches tall with a thin build. He had a clean-shaven face with black, short, spiky hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with no insignia, black jeans and was carrying a large black backpack over his shoulders, according to sheriff’s officials.

The sheriff’s office is increasing patrol activity in the area, including at peak times when many students are walking to and from school.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office at (831) 471-1121.

--Bay City News