Man Wanted For Harassing, Trying To Grab Girl, 11, Near Temecula School

TEMECULA (CBSLA.com) — Police released a composite sketch Thursday of a man they say harassed an 11-year-old girl who was walking near Margarita Middle School in Temecula.

Officials said the suspect also tried to grab the girl.

The incident happened Tuesday at about 2:50 p.m. as the girl was walking away from the school on Margarita Road, according to Temecula police.

Police say the girl walked past an older, gray pickup truck that was parked along the curb.

The driver was described a white man about 30 years old, 5-foot-6, 200 pounds, brown hair, a brown goatee and wore a LA Dodgers baseball cap with a white bill, blue sports jersey shirt and khaki long shorts that went past his knees.

KCAL9's Tom Wait spoke to the frightened girl's mother. She didn't want her name used.

"Oh, I was shaking. I was crying," she said when she heard what happened to her daughter.

She said the 11-year-old was waiting for an older sister when the incident happened.

The mother said the man asked her daughter, "Do you want to pet my puppy?" When she said no, the girl said she started to walk away and noticed the suspect exited his vehicle before attempting to grab her from behind.

The girl's mom told Wait her daughter didn't tell her about the incident until Wednesday because she was scared. The mom  is hoping to spread the word and protect other families.

"All our friends know we are big on safety," she said.

The mother told Wait the girl has already transferred to another school.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact the Temecula Police Department at (951) 696-3000.