A homeless man on parole for assault allegedly dragged a jogging woman by her hair on a beach near Los Angeles earlier this week, then tried to rape her, police said.
The incident appears to have happened around 7:15 a.m. on Oceanfront Walk in Santa Monica. Witnesses told 911 dispatchers that a woman from nearby Venice Beach was being dragged to the ground by her ponytail.
Authorities said she was jogging south on the beach path when the suspect grabbed her from behind by her ponytail and slammed her to the ground.
Suspected New York City rapist arrested after video shows woman being hit from behind on dark street
Malcolm Jimmy Ward Jr., 48, is accused of grabbing a jogging woman by her ponytail, dragging her to the ground and attempting to sexually assault her, police said. (Santa Monica Police Department)
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, responding officers found a woman and suspect Malcolm Jimmy Ward Jr., 48, near some restrooms. Police said several witnesses intervened in the attack.
The woman was not injured. At the time, Ward was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon.
Investigators believe Ward was attempting to sexually assault the woman. He is charged with kidnapping, assault with intent to commit rape and violating parole.
He is being held without bail.
Casshern Parks, 39, was arrested at 10 a.m. Saturday and charged with raping a 45-year-old woman in the Bronx, the NYPD said. (Richard Harvath, Fox News Digital)
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The alleged crime mirrors an incident in New York City. A man was seen on surveillance video putting a noose around a woman’s neck, then choking her until she was unconscious and dragging her out onto a dark Bronx street.
Police arrested 39-year-old Kashan Parks over the weekend on suspicion of assaulting the 45-year-old victim.
