Man suspected of sexually assaulting two women near American River still at-large, police say

Since asking for the public’s help Sunday in identifying a man suspected of sexually assaulting two women near the American River, Sacramento Police have received multiple leads but have not yet located the man, the agency said Wednesday.

“The investigation is still active and ongoing at this time,” said Officer Marcus Basquez, spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.

Officers are continuing to canvass the area, he said, but have not seen the man.

The suspect has been at-large since Sunday. The man, described by police as a heavy-set Hispanic man with green eyes and brown hair and is approximately 20 to 30 years old, standing 5-foot-9.

The man is suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in Sutter’s Landing Regional Park shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday, police said in a news release. During the attack, the woman was able to flee and was not injured, police said.

Nearly an hour later, officers learned of another attack nearby in which the man allegedly attempted to rape a second woman on the bike trail under the Capital City Freeway, south of the American River. In that attack, the woman was also able to flee. After investigating, the officers determined the same man had carried out both attacks.

After an extensive search, including the use of a police helicopter, the man could not be found.

Police released a photo and video of the suspect wearing black briefs. He was also reportedly seen wearing jeans and holding a green T-shirt, according to the news release.

Detectives believe the man speaks English with a Spanish accent, police said.

Police have been searching the area since the attacks, Basquez said.

“Detectives believe there may be potential witnesses who observed the suspect during these incidents,” according to the news release. “Additionally, detectives need to talk to a male witness who was on a bicycle in the area during the second incident.”

Anyone with information can contact the Sacramento police dispatch center at 916-808-5471 or submit an anonymous tip using the P3 Tips smartphone app, police said. Callers are eligible for a reward up to $1,000.

This story was originally published August 21, 2019 at 10:53 AM with the headline "Man suspected of sexually assaulting two women near American River still at-large, police say."