At approximately 12:15 a.m. this morning, October 3, 2018, a 22-year-old Santa Barbara City College student was walking near the southwest corner of Camino Pescadero at Picasso Road when a suspect emerged from the bushes and jumped in front of her.  The suspect punched the victim in the face and head, grabbed her hair, covered her mouth and pulled her towards the bushes.  The suspect then attempted to pull her shirt off.  The victim screamed and fought back, scratching and punching the suspect, and managed to escape.  She ran to her nearby residence and contacted a friend for help who then called 911.

Sheriff’s Deputies and UCSB Police Officers assigned to the Isla Vista Foot Patrol responded and searched the area where the attack occurred but were not able to locate the suspect.  The suspect is described as a male in his twenties, approximately 5’9” tall with a thin build.  The male had dark skin and dark facial hair.  He was wearing a dark hoodie over his head and dark pants.

The Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating this case and is asking for anyone with information to please contact the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division at 805-681-4150 or to leave an anonymous tip, please call 805-681-4171 or go to our website at at https://www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/.

This was a violent attack and there is a strong likelihood that the victim would have been sexually assaulted if she had not managed to fight off her aggressor and get to a safe place.

The Isla Vista Foot Patrol wants to take this opportunity to remind community members to use the buddy system and avoid walking alone, especially at night.  If you ever feel that you are being followed or are concerned about a person or situation, trust your instincts and run/walk to a well-lit or more populated area.   If you are going out alone, make sure that someone knows where you are going, who you will be with and when you are expected to return.

Also, as a reminder, UCSB Police Department’s CSO Safety Escort Program is a free service provided to members of the UCSB and Isla Vista communities as a safe alternative to walking alone at night. Call (805) 893-2000 to request a CSO escort.