Police Seeking Witness To Attack On Prosecutor In Newport Beach Park

NEWPORT BEACH (CBSLA) — What a man on a red beach cruiser bicycle saw could help police catch the person or persons who beat a San Bernardino County prosecutor unconscious as she was out for a morning jog in Newport Beach.

The attack happened at about 5:40 a.m. on Aug. 31, near 16th Street and Seagull Lane in Bob Henry Park. The prosecutor was scheduled to give her closing argument in a gang-murder trial on the day of the attack and detectives believe she may have been targeted by gang members.

The woman, whose name was withheld, was beaten until she was unconscious. She sought help in a nearby gym, where witnesses said she was covered in blood and rambling frantically, even asking at one point if she had been raped.

Police would like to talk to a man who was seen riding a red beach cruiser bicycle in the area that day to see if he could provide any more details, Newport Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said.

"We're really hoping with a little public outreach, this individual or someone who knows him will put us in contact with him," she said.

The potential witness is white or Latino and was wearing shorts, a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and white shoes, Manzella said. He was last seen riding the bike toward Irvine Avenue.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)