LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — A 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted while she was walking to school in Lancaster early Thursday morning.

The victim was on her way to Eastside High School around 6:15 a.m. when she noticed a man following her in the 2000 block of East Avenue J-8.

When the girl crossed the street to get away from him, the suspect grabbed her and dragged her into the bushes.

“He managed to grab a hold of her and (dragged) her to a bush area, where he repeatedly assaulted her,” said Sgt. Brian Hudson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau.

The unarmed suspect then fled toward 20th Street East.

The victim called police from a neighbor’s home and was immediately taken to the hospital.

The suspect is described as a 30 to 35-year-old black man, 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with dreadlocks.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said a $5,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of the suspect.

Authorities plans to increase uniformed patrol presence in the area.

“We are concerned other girls may be victimized by him (if he’s not caught soon),” said Hudson. “We’re afraid it might happen again and the outcome could be much worse.”

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call Sgt. Hudson at 877-710-5273 or 562-619-1370.