Police ask for help in identifying sexual assault suspect after Midway District attack
A woman was standing on Midway Drive near Duke Street on Friday when a man drove up in a van and asked if she needed a ride; while in the vehicle, she was sexually assaulted.
Authorities reached out to the public for help in identifying and finding a man suspected of sexually assaulting a 55-year-old woman in the Midway District last week.
The woman was standing on Midway Drive near Duke Street around 11:30 p.m. Friday when a man drove up in a van and asked if she needed a ride, according to San Diego police.
The woman said she did need a ride and she got into the van, described as a white or tan conversion-type van from the late 1990s to early 2000s.
The woman told police it appeared to be a work van that the man was living in, and a surfboard, two toolboxes and a mattress were in the back.
The man drove to Famosa Boulevard, where he sexually and physically assaulted her and threatened to kill her, police said. When he eventually got out of the van, the woman was able to escape and ask someone nearby to call 911.
The assailant fled before police arrived and was last seen driving south on Famosa Boulevard.
He was described as a roughly 5-foot-6 Hispanic man in his early 30s with a stocky build, a clean-shaven face and medium-length hair styled to the side. He spoke both English and Spanish.
He was wearing a white T-shirt, light-colored jeans and work boots. He also had paint splatter on his hands and boots.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the SDPD Sex Crimes Unit at (619) 525-8435 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.