Sebastopol police seek suspect in attempted rape near Joe Rodota Trail

Woman sleeping in her van near the Petaluma Avenue trailhead says man climbed into the passenger seat.|

Sebastopol police are searching for a man suspected of attempting to rape a woman as she slept in her van early Wednesday morning near the Joe Rodota Trail.

The victim called 911 just after 6 a.m. to report that a man had climbed into the passenger side of her van an hour earlier, while she was asleep in the back, Sebastopol Police Chief Jeff Weaver said. She was parked near the trailhead on Petaluma Avenue, a busy road in the center of town, he said.

The suspect had his pants pulled down, Weaver said. He didn’t say anything during the attack, the chief added.

The woman fought the suspect off, pushing him out of the van twice, Weaver said. When he attempted to enter a third time, the victim started the van and sped away causing the suspect to fall to the ground, the chief said.

The victim didn’t know the suspect, Weaver said. The woman was able to provide police with a rough sketch of the suspect, he said.

He was described as 6-feet tall, 200-pounds, white, with a shaggy, light brown beard.. He was wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and a black belt with a conspicuous buckle. He’s likely in his early to mid-30s, Weaver said, and was last seen running south on Petaluma Avenue.

Officers collected physical evidence at the scene, which is being processed, according to the police department.

Anyone with any information related to the case should contact Officer Jacques Levesque at 829-4400.

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @eloisanews.

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