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View Winners → Crime Jul 18, 2022
Police arrested a man accused of a sexual assault in the Crenshaw area in June. | Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Police Department
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A man who allegedly committed a sexual assault against a woman in the Crenshaw area in June was in custody Monday, and authorities urged other possible victims to contact detectives.
Eric Hicks, 35, was arrested about 6 p.m. on July 11, and was booked on suspicion of attempted rape, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was being held on $3.3 million bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The alleged sexual assault occurred on June 20 about 4:30 p.m. near Somerset Drive and Coliseum Street, the LAPD reported.
On that day, the suspect allegedly followed the woman on foot from the Crenshaw/Expo Metro station and “tackled the victim into bushes and sexually assaulted her,” the LAPD said in a statement.
“The victim repeatedly yelled for help, at which point a bicyclist passing by observed the attack and called the police,” the LAPD reported in a statement. “The suspect then fled on foot northbound on Somerset Drive.”
Police released a description of the suspect and security images, and sought the public’s help to find the man.
Then, on July 10, Hicks made an appearance at the Criminal Courts Building following his arrest on an unrelated sexual assault that had occurred three days earlier, the LAPD reported.
“On July 7 (at) 11:50 p.m., a minor victim exited the Red Line train at Union Station and was walking through Union Station,” an LAPD statement said.
“While walking on the escalator, the suspect — from behind the victim — grabbed the victim,” police said. “The victim flagged down a nearby security guard who called the police.
“The victim placed the suspect under private person’s arrest,” police said. “The case was rejected by the City Attorney. Southwest detectives responded and placed the suspect into custody for the attempt(ed) rape which occurred on June 20.”
Investigators believe Hicks has been using public transportation to prey on his victims, police said.
Anyone with information on the case, or anyone who may have been victimized by the suspect, was urged to call the LAPD Southwest Sexual Assault Section at 323-290-2976.
