Victim Fights Off Sexual Assault in Lake Forest

A 41-year-old woman fought off the fourth sexual assault in the past three months on women walking or jogging in the area, police said Monday.

Authorities said the latest attack, near Serrano Creek Community Park on Sunday, apparently is not related to the three others, all of which occurred near Wilderness Glen Park in Mission Viejo. The attacker in the Sunday incident had a pale complexion and black hair, while the suspect in the other assaults had shoulder-length, brown, curly hair and a deep tan, authorities said.

The incident occurred shortly after 6 a.m. as a woman jogged along Toledo Way, a sheriff’s spokesman said. The woman heard someone running behind her and turned to see a naked man approaching.

The man threw her into the underbrush, put his hand over her mouth and tried to assault her, said sheriff’s department spokesman Lt. Dick Olson. She fought him off and ran to a nearby house, where she called police.

Olson said the man was about 28 years old, 5-feet-10 and 160 pounds.

Three weeks ago, a 21-year-old jogger was raped near Wilderness Glen Park. Olson said the same man is suspected of assaulting a 16-year-old last month and a 31-year-old jogger in May.

Authorities have asked women not to jog alone in the early morning and evening hours and to stay on heavily used jogging paths.