Woman Fights Off Attacker On Aliso Creek Trail, Cops Say

LAGUNA HILLS, CA —Several recent reports of a suspect grabbing at young girls escalated Tuesday after a woman informed authorities that she was nearly kidnapped in Laguna Hills, near the Sheep Hills Park, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

Tuesday morning, a 28-year-old woman walking on Aliso Creek Trail near the underpass of Moulton Parkway heard someone "jogging behind her," according to Orange County Sheriff's Department officers.

In a flash, she was grabbed by the elbow and yanked backward toward her attacker, OCSD Sgt. Joses Wahlehwa told Patch.

Fighting back, "she head-butted the man, who then released her and ran off," he said.

She described her attacker as being a white male, approximately 5-foot, 10-inches in height, wearing a black sweatshirt with a large colorful logo, black jeans with a rip near the seat.

She did not see his face and was not able to provide enough details for a sketch drawing.

OCSD investigators are operating under the possibility that the attack could be related to similar reports from earlier this month. Two girls reported being "grabbed at" while walking along the creek trail in early September.

On Sept. 18, a young girl walking her dog in the Sheep Hills Park area reported being grabbed at and "dragged toward the bushes," Wahlehwa said. "She screamed, and the suspect released her and ran off."

In all cases, the victims have fought against being grabbed. The Aliso Creek Hiking Trail connects the cities of Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills and is a favored shortcut through the area.

Though there are similarities in the location and nature of the attacks, the description of the suspects show slight differences, Wahlehwa said.

"Investigators will decide if they are all related during their work," he said. "In all cases, the suspect is male, and young women are grabbed."

All of the events have occurred near the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail that connects Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills.

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