7th Woman Driver Accosted by Man Posing as Policeman

A woman motorist driving alone near the Pomona Freeway escaped unhurt after she was pulled over early Monday by a man posing as a police officer, bringing to seven the number of similar incidents reported recently in the eastern San Gabriel Valley and Pico Rivera, authorities said.

Six of the incidents occurred in the last two days, with the earliest known episode in the string of attacks taking place July 1, sheriff’s deputies said.

The most recent incident occurred in Pico Rivera about 4:45 a.m. Monday, capping a weekend in which an impostor either robbed, battered or attempted to sexually assault five other women motorists.

In the latest incident, as in the others, the assailant wore a security guard-type uniform and used a white spotlight to stop a 33-year-old woman driving on the San Gabriel River Parkway near Rose Hills Memorial Park. He fled, however, when she questioned him about his car, which has been described as a dark, possibly rust-colored, Pinto or Datsun.

‘Question Him’

“That’s the thing to do--question him,” Sheriff’s Deputy Hal Grant said. “Don’t submit.”

On Monday, deputies reported an assault on July 1 that they believe is connected to the string of other attacks. In that case, a 22-year-old Hacienda Heights woman was pulled over in Pico Rivera and was punched in the face by a man wearing what appeared to be a police uniform.

Officers advised women drivers not to stop in dark, remote areas if they are uncertain who is signaling them to pull over--even if the pursuer is a peace officer. The motorist should continue “at a reasonable speed for a reasonable distance to a well-lighted, populated area,” Sheriff’s Deputy Pat Hunter said.

“There will be no ramifications about continuing on for a short distance,” he said.

Motorists were also cautioned not to stop for anyone signaling with a white spotlight. Most law enforcement agencies use either a solid red or flashing red light, police said.

“It’s got to be a red light, not yellow or blue or white,” Cmdr. John Distelrath of the West Covina Police Department said. “For God’s sake, don’t stop for anything else.”

Police said the assailant in all the incidents has been dressed in a dark uniform, with a dark cap and a jacket bearing a badge-like emblem.

Composite Drawing

A composite sketch prepared Monday from descriptions given by the victims showed a white man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, 165 pounds, with light-colored, curly, shoulder-length hair and a sparse mustache.

In all the assaults, the impostor has followed the victims until he was sure they were driving alone, officers said. Then, using a white spotlight mounted on his car, the assailant has signaled the women to pull over, after which he demanded to see their driver’s licenses.

The weekend incidents occurred near the Pomona Freeway in Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and West Covina. The assailant attempted to rape two of the women and pushed one of them down a 30-foot embankment. But he fled when the women fought back. Another woman was robbed at knifepoint of the $100 she said was in her wallet.

The impostor aimed tear gas spray at another of the women. In addition, another victim was struck four times in the face with a flashlight. She required medical treatment but was not hospitalized, police said.

A suspect who matched the description and worked as a security guard was detained briefly on Sunday by sheriff’s deputies and West Covina police but was released when none of the victims could positively identify a photo of him, officers said.