A Santa Rosa man suspected in two cases of grabbing and groping women was ordered by a judge to undergo a mental health evaluation, according to court records.
Jonathan Michael Hoppner, 20, faces two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery -- related to a January attack of a woman on the Santa Rosa Junior College campus and one in downtown Santa Rosa earlier this month.
Santa Rosa police arrested Hoppner on April 2 after a woman accused him of grabbing her as she was walked along Mendocino Avenue, said Sgt. Lisa Banayat.
It was about 7:30 p.m., still light outside, and the young woman was walking south toward Seventh Street. She was going to cross to the west side but saw a man there staring at her, Banayat said.
The woman felt uncomfortable and decided to cross further down the avenue.
But as she crossed, the man then was on her, grabbing and holding onto her left buttock and attempting to grab her breasts through her thick coat, according to a police report.
"Let me go," she told him and raised an arm to protect herself. He then raised his hand to hit her but she blocked it, Banayat said.
The man, who never spoke to her, then ran away.
The woman called her husband and found a nearby worker who helped identify the man. They called police and Hoppner later was arrested at his westside home.
"She's still a little shook up," said the husband of the victim, during an interview this week.
"This guy probably has about 150 pounds on her. He's a big individual," he said.
Part of her shock was that the incident occurred downtown and in daylight, said the man, who declined to be identified fearing that would identify his wife.
The couple also was concerned that it was the suspect's second alleged assault of a similar nature, he said.
Late on the afternoon of Jan. 22, a female student was walking to her car parked in a campus lot when she was grabbed from behind.
The man groped her buttocks and slapped her in the face, according to campus police reports. The SRJC softball coach heard the woman yelling and ran after the fleeing man, helping catch him.
College police arrested Hoppner. His January case was making its way through the court process when the April 2 arrest occurred.
Hoppner appeared in court April 4 and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam before further court proceedings occur. He is due back in court Friday for results of the report.
You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.
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