A man is in custody for allegedly assaulting a woman on a Long Beach sidewalk, an attack that was caught on security video.
The crime, which occurred about 2 p.m. on Oct. 20 near Linden Avenue and East Broadway, was “absolutely disgusting,” the alleged victim, Rebekah Pederson, told Fox11.
In the security video, the victim is seen walking on a sidewalk in a dark dress, passing a man who is sitting on the sidewalk. After she passes by, the man stands up and begins following her, eventually grabbing and lifting her dress before she falls to the ground. A witness nearby approached the man as he tried to leave, but the suspect ran away. He was gone before police arrived.
“When I turned around, I did notice he started picking up his pants,” Pedersen said. “If it wasn’t in broad daylight, and that (good Samaritan) was sitting there, (the suspect) would have raped me.”
Police later arrested 30-year-old Miguel Avila, who was homeless, and he was facing possible charges including sexual battery.
He was booked on suspicion of a felony, and remained in custody, according to jail records.
