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View Winners → Crime Oct 23, 2022
| Photo courtesy of the Tustin Police Department
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A 28-year-old man is in custody after allegedly carrying out a violent crime spree in Tustin that included punching the stomach of a woman eight months pregnant, attacking an elderly woman and sexually assaulting another woman, police said Sunday.
Sean Anthony Aguilera of Orange committed a total of five assaults within about two hours Friday evening, according to Lt. Ryan Coe of the Tustin Police Department. Aguilera was arrested Friday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, robbery and attempted kidnapping.
Bail was set at $500,000, Coe said, with his arraignment tentatively set for Tuesday.
Aguilera’s alleged crime spree starting with an attack on an elderly woman at 6:50 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of West Sixth Street. A witness called police to report a male assaulted the woman, who ran away. Officers could not locate her or the suspect, who would later be identified as Aguilera, Coe said.
About an hour later, a female victim called police to report that she had been sexually assaulted by a suspect matching Aguilera’s description in the 4200 block of Newport Avenue. Dispatchers noted the suspect’s description matched that of the earlier call.
“The victim screamed and was able to get away from the suspect as he fled southbound,” Coe said. “The victim did not sustain any physical injuries.”
A third attack was reported about 10 minutes later in the 1100 block of Walnut Avenue.
“Another female victim called 911 and stated the same suspect had attempted to get into her vehicle as she was leaving her apartment complex,” he said. “The victim was able to drive away from the suspect and was not injured.”
At about 8:15 p.m., a security guard reported a man fitting Aguilera’s description had just assaulted him near the 14600 block of Newport Avenue and attempted to steal his portable radio, the lieutenant said. The security guard resisted and told Tustin police that he fled southbound on Newport Avenue.
Several minutes later, a woman who is eight months pregnant called police to report that the suspect now identified as Aguilera punched her in the stomach and ran toward Kenyon Drive. She was examined at the scene by paramedics and did not appear to suffer any serious injuries, Coe said.
Moments later, officers arrived and located Aguilera. Although no weapons were found on his person, he was booked into the Orange County jail for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, robbery and attempted kidnapping, Coe said.
A possible motive for the attacks was not provided.
Police believe Aguilera acted alone, according to Coe. Anyone with information about Friday’s attacks or similar incidents was asked to call detectives at 714-573-3246 or email ehaug@tustinca.org.
