A man sexually assaulted a woman in Bermuda Dunes shortly after trying to assault another woman, the Thermal Sheriff’s Station reported Thursday.
Deputies from the station responded at 2:56 a.m. Wednesday to the 78000 block of Avenue 42 regarding a report of a suspicious person. When they arrived, the caller told them an unknown masked man followed her to her apartment and was scared off when the woman screamed as he approached her, deputies said.
Deputies checked the area and did not locate the suspect, but were able to obtain video surveillance footage with an image of the suspect.
At 10:27 a.m. the same day, deputies received a report of a sexual assault near Adams Street and Dune Lake Street. The victim told deputies she was in the area between 2:30 and 3 a.m. when she was attacked by an unknown man and sexually assaulted, authorities said.
The victim described the suspect as 20-30 years old, approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall with a heavy build. The suspect was wearing a black ski mask and fled in an unknown direction after the assault, authorities said.
Deputies believe the man described by the victims was the same suspect in both cases.
Anyone with information about this suspect’s identity or his whereabouts was asked to call Investigator Perez of the Thermal Sheriff’s Station at 760-863-8447 or the Riverside Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951-776-1099. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call Valley Crime Stoppers at 760-341-7867.