Timely Aid Brings Attack Suspect’s Capture

A Newhall man who attempted to rape a woman whose car broke down on the Golden State Freeway was captured after the woman’s boyfriend drove up in time to fight him off and another motorist followed him to a hiding place, Los Angeles police said Tuesday.

Pedro Sanchez, 20, was arrested near Sylmar Monday on suspicion of attempted rape and was being held in lieu of $12,500 bail at the Devonshire Division Jail, Lt. Harvie Eubank said.

Eubank said the incident began at 3:30 p.m. after a car belonging to a 21-year-old Palmdale woman broke down on the shoulder of the northbound freeway, just south of the Antelope Valley Freeway interchange at the northern tip of the city of Los Angeles.

The woman called the California Highway Patrol and her boyfriend from an emergency call box and returned to her car. While she was waiting for help, a car with four men in it pulled off the freeway and stopped, police said. Sanchez got out and walked to the woman’s disabled vehicle.

“He offered assistance and she declined,” Detective Steve Brazner said. “He left and then came back and, unfortunately, was able to get into the car and attack her.”

The woman’s boyfriend drove up and saw her struggling with Sanchez and ran to her aid, Eubank said. He struck Sanchez in the head and chased him away, but Sanchez eluded him by running down the steep freeway embankment, Eubank said.

An off-duty California Youth Authority officer who was driving on the freeway saw Sanchez running away, police said. He left the freeway and watched Sanchez until he ran behind a house and hid in a shed off Sierra Highway.

The CYA officer, whose name was not released, then told police where Sanchez was. Sanchez was arrested without incident. Sanchez’s wallet was found in the victim’s car, where it apparently had fallen during the attack, Eubank said.

CHP officers who responded to the original disabled-vehicle call detained the three men who had remained in the car that carried Sanchez. Police said they were released after officers determined they were not part of the attack.

The woman was treated for bruises at Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills and released.