A fifth woman has been attacked at a Walnut Creek apartment complex that has been plagued by rapes and attempted sexual assaults since June, the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff reported.
Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported assault at the Park Regency apartment complex on the 3100 block of Oak Road in unincorporated Walnut Creek at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, according to Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the sheriff's office.
The victim, a 43-year-old resident of the complex, was leaving her apartment when she was grabbed from behind by the suspect, who tried to force her back into her home, Lee said.
The victim struggled with her attacker and was able to run away from the suspect, but fell down some stairs when she fled, Lee said. The suspect had fled the scene when deputies arrived, he said.
An ambulance took the victim to John Muir Medical Center for treatment of the injuries she sustained in her fall, Lee said. The assault did appear to be committed with intent to rape the victim, he said.
The suspect in Saturday's attack is described as a white man who is approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and has a medium build, brown hair, and facial hair, Lee said. He was wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt, and a black baseball cap, Lee said.
Lee said it is unknown if this man is the same suspect that is being sought for another attack in the gated Park Regency complex that occurred on Sept. 16 in which a 27-year-old resident was sexually assaulted inside her apartment.
The suspect in the September attack was described as a white male between 20 and 30 years old who was 6 feet tall and had a full beard, according to deputies.
Three other sexual assaults took place at this apartment complex on June 30, July 6, and Aug. 10 of this year. Two of the victimized women in those attacks were able to fend off their assailant by fighting back, but one 23-year-old woman was raped inside her home.
The sheriff's office arrested a man suspected of committing the attacks, 22-year-old Antonio Andre Mouton of Berkeley, on Aug. 10. They have said DNA evidence links Mouton to all of the first three attacks.
On Aug. 26, Mouton pleaded not guilty to the one count of rape, two counts of attempted rape, and three counts of burglary with which he is charged and which could land him in prison for 25 years to life, according to the Contra Costa County district attorney's office.
Anyone with information about Saturday's attempted assault at the apartment complex is encouraged to call the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441.
