Man Held After Alleged Rape Attempt

A Westminster man was arrested late Saturday, an hour after he allegedly tried to rape a woman who had accepted a ride with him in Costa Mesa, police said.

Brian Daniel Laningham, 26, is being held on $50,000 bail on suspicion of robbery, assault with intent to rape, kidnapping and a parole violation, said Costa Mesa Sgt. Don Holford. Police also are investigating Laningham in connection with a Sept. 16 rape, Holford said.

In Saturday’s incident, Laningham allegedly pulled up to a bus stop at Harbor Boulevard and Bernard Street at 6:45 p.m. and offered a 33-year-old Costa Mesa woman a ride, which she accepted, police said.

The woman reportedly asked Laningham to drive her to work in Santa Ana. As he drove past her workplace, she told him to let her out of the car. But Laningham allegedly pulled a knife on the woman and demanded sex, Holford said. She escaped from the vehicle near Main Street and MacArthur Boulevard in Santa Ana, he said.

Laningham allegedly grabbed her purse as she left the vehicle, then fled, he said. The woman called Santa Ana police.

Approximately an hour later, she returned to the area of Harbor and Bernard with Costa Mesa police, where she spotted the suspect driving past, headed south on Harbor. The woman pointed at Laningham and told police he was the culprit, Holford said. Police stopped Laningham’s car and he was arrested without incident.

Laningham will appear at Harbor Justice Center on Tuesday, Holford said.

Police also are investigating Laningham in connection with the rape of a 26-year-old woman at knifepoint less than two weeks ago. According to police, the victim in that case was abducted two blocks from where Laningham allegedly picked up the victim of Saturday’s assault.

In the earlier incident, the victim was walking home from work on Harbor Boulevard near Bay Street at 10:30 p.m. when a man threatened her with a knife and forced her into his car.

The woman was driven to the parking area of an apartment building on the 2400 block of Maple Street and raped inside the car, police said.