A 27-year-old man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in North Hollywood was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on a felony charge.
Rodrigo Melgar was arrested around 10 a.m. Monday on Burbank Boulevard west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Woodland Hills, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
He was charged Tuesday with a single count of sexual penetration by use of force stemming from an assault that occurred around 8:30 p.m. July 19. Melgar was scheduled to be arraigned sometime Wednesday in Van Nuys.
He remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to sheriff’s inmate records.
According to the LAPD, the victim was walking home on the pedestrian bridge at Laurel Grove Avenue and Valleyheart Drive in North Hollywood when she was approached from behind by the suspect, who grabbed her by the hair, forcefully pulled her to the ground, and sexually assaulted her by penetrating her with a foreign object.
Police said a witness interrupted the assault, causing the suspect to flee.
During the ensuing investigation, police reviewed surveillance footage from more than 50 businesses and other locations, and a flyer was distributed to the community in hopes of generating information leading to the suspect. Police said investigators received multiple tips, helping them identify Melgar as the possible assailant.
Due to the nature of the assault, detectives believe there may be potential additional victims or witnesses who have not come forward, noting that Melgar is known to frequently utilize public transportation, including buses, as his primary source of transit.
Anyone with information regarding the assault or who may have encountered Melgar was urged to call the LAPD North Hollywood Detective Division at 818-8300. Calls during non-business hours or weekends should be directed to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.