Briefly In Public Safety
Teen accused of sexual assault on beach
A woman reported to police that a male juvenile sexually assaulted her Tuesday evening.
The 19-year-old victim ran into the 16-year-old boy, who was an acquaintance, near Laguna Avenue and South Coast Highway, according to Lt. Jason Kravetz.
After meeting up, they decided to go to the beach in front of Hotel Laguna. The woman reported that the teen then sexually assaulted her and fled the scene afterward.
The woman called police at 9:29 p.m. and named her alleged attacker. Police located him at his Laguna Beach residence and detained him an hour later.
He was taken to Juvenile Hall. Kravetz said investigators are requesting charges of sodomy, rape and penetration with foreign object.
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Pedestrians hit on Coast Highway
A driver struck two pedestrians on Brooks Street and South Coast Highway on Sunday evening.
A police officer observed the collision at 6:50 p.m. when traveling southbound on South Coast Highway, according to Kravetz.
The officer said he started to slow down when he saw two people crossing at the Brooks Street intersection.
The vehicle in front of the officer did not come to a stop and hit the man and woman in the crosswalk while traveling about 20 to 25 miles per hour
The driver is a 40-year-old Los Angeles woman. She was not cited or arrested. Kravetz said police do not think alcohol or drugs were involved.
The pedestrians, a 21-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man, both from Orange, did not suffer significant injuries. The woman had cuts and bruises, and the man had broken bones in his right leg.
The crash is still under investigation, Kravetz said.
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Fire causes about $50,000 in damage
A structure fire was reported in the 700 block of Barracuda Way early Sunday morning, according to Laguna Beach Fire Department.
Laguna Beach firefighters responded about 5 a.m. to a trailer on fire near a large, residential construction site in Arch Beach Heights.
There were no injuries and the damage were estimated at about $50,000.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
—Joanna Clay