Healdsburg police arrest man suspected of groping female jogger

Healdsburg police said they have arrested a 20-year-old man suspected of grabbing a woman in the buttocks as she was jogging on Sunday.

JuanDavid Simonyi, who police described as homeless, was taken into custody Thursday night near downtown.

He was recognized Thursday afternoon by a person who had seen surveillance photos taken near the site of the attack, said Healdsburg Police Sgt. Nick Castaneda.

Officers discovered that they had previously encountered Simonyi over incidents including illegal camping, loitering and dumping. Simonyi had no prior arrests in Healdsburg or Sonoma County, Castaneda said.

The arrest came four days after the reported attack on Grove Street, where a man came up from behind the female jogger and grabbed her butt, police said. The assailant then climbed over a fence and walked toward the Healdsburg Community Center. Officers obtained surveillance footage from the center and released photos of the suspect Thursday afternoon.

When officers found Simonyi on Thursday night, he cooperated with investigators. Castaneda said Simonyi admitted to the crime and said he made a mistake. He was booked into Sonoma County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery, but made bail Friday afternoon, Castaneda said.

Castaneda said police have not received any other reports of similar behavior from Simonyi.

“We truly appreciate our community’s help in identifying the subject,” Castaneda said.