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Underwear-Clad Goleta Man Accused Of Stalking Juvenile Female, Entering Residence To Attempt Sexual Assault

GOLETA (CBSLA.com)  —  Authorities in Goleta have announced the arrest of a 43-year-old man they said stalked a juvenile female and then attempted to enter her residence to commit a sexual assault.

Around 5 p.m. Friday, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a mobile home park in the 7400 block of Hollister Avenue in Goleta.

They were responding to the report of a man in his underwear acting erratically and threatening violent behavior.

Deputies later identified the subject as a Thomas Brostromrich, a resident at the mobile home park.

They arrested Brostromrich after determining he entered a neighbor's residence with two juvenile females inside. Once inside, wearing only his underwear, Brostromrich allegedly tried to gain access to one of the juvenile female's bedrooms. He was confronted by their grandfather who was babysitting.

thomas-brostromrich
(credit: Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Dept.)

Brostromrich allegedly assaulted the grandfather and continued to try and get access to the room. One of the juveniles screamed, which caused Brostromrich to pick up a skateboard and threaten to strike the grandfather if he did not let him leave.

A deputy attempted to detain Brostromrich. Officials said he began to actively resist arrest and flee. Additional units responded to the scene.

Brostromrich continued to be combative and resist arrest but was eventually taken into custody, officials said.

Several deputies received abrasions during the incident but did not require medical assistance.

Brostromrich was taken to a local hospital to treat abrasions and a laceration to his nose.

Detectives allege Brostromrich had been stalking the 13-year-old for several weeks, attempting to engage her in conversation and watching her on the playground. None of this activity was reported to the Sheriff's Office prior to Friday.

Brostromrich was arrested and booked on charges of stalking, burglary, battery, brandishing a weapon other than a firearm, theft of the skateboard, resisting, obstructing and delaying an officer, assault on a peace officer and resisting an executive officer through force, violence or fear. He is being held on $150,000 bail.

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