Placentia Police: Woman Tries To Flee Sexual Assault Suspect From Moving Car

PLACENTIA (CBSLA.com) — A 43-year-old man was arrested Sunday for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman he met outside of a club.

According to the Placentia Police Department, around 2:53 a.m. an officer observed a female attempting to exit a moving vehicle multiple times.

The officer explained he conducted a traffic stop on Placentia Avenue near Chapman Avenue due to the suspicious behavior.

The driver of the vehicle — later identified as Jose Antonio Rodriguez, of Anaheim — pulled into a parking lot of a restaurant.

When the vehicle stopped, the female immediately exited the car and ran back to officers on scene.

Authorities said she explained Rodriguez sexually assaulted her.

While the victim informed officers of what happened, Rodriguez fled the scene in his car heading Westbound on Chapman Avenue into Fullerton.

In response, additional officers were sent to the area in an attempt to catch the suspect.

Around that same time, an officers in a Anaheim Police Department helicopter had been monitoring radio traffic, and were able to locate Rodriguez parked in the area of Acacia and Wilshire Boulevard in Fullerton.

He surrendered after being confronted by officers who were redirected to the area.

The victim positively identified Rodriguez. He was arrested for kidnapping for the purpose of a sex crime and other sexual assault charges.

During a preliminary investigation, officers learned Rodriguez and the adult victim had met each other at a night club in the Anaheim Hills area.

Rodriguez allegedly offered the victim a ride home from the club after her purse and cell phone were stolen.

There is no indication that he stole the belongings in an effort to get her to leave the club with him, authorities explained.

Officers said the victim attempted to exit his car after he began to sexually assault her, but he prevented her from escaping.

Rodriguez is being held on $1 million at the Orange County Jail.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to contact police at (714) 993-8146.