Lemoore woman sexually assaulted while walking home, police say

LEMOORE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Lemoore police are looking for a man they say sexually assaulted a woman during a violent attack. Investigators say the brutal confrontation has had investigators knocking on doors all week, trying to figure out who is responsible for the attack. The suspect approached the woman as she walked home from her friend's house in the area of Oakdale and Olive.

Police believe the woman was a victim of an attempted robbery, kidnapping and then rape. Detectives say the suspect followed her for a distance before he told her he wanted her money. When she didn't have any, she was assaulted.

Investigators say it was close to 2 a.m. The victim heard footsteps behind her and realized she was being followed. Police say she sped up, and so did the suspect, then she confronted him.

"When she turned around to confront him, she felt herself being struck in the face either by a forearm or the suspect's fist," said Cmdr. Steve Rossi with the Lemoore Police Department.

Officers say the suspect dragged her to the side yard of a home before sexually assaulting her. Police say he told her not to make a sound or he would snap her neck. Before he left, detectives say he gave her one more threat.

"He rolled her back over onto her back and told her to count to 100 and not to scream or call the police because he knew where she lived. At that point, he got up and left," said Rossi.

The well-established neighborhood is a place Dan Gudgel has always felt safe in. He has lived here for two decades.

"It's nestled between two elementary schools and it's a nice little bedroom portion of the community. Relatively quiet, good neighbors, varying ages," said Gudgel.

The victim told investigators she had never seen the suspect before. Officers are talking to neighbors in the area to see if any of them have surveillance cameras that may have captured the crime on tape. Police say the shaken victim was treated at Adventist Hospital in Hanford after the assault.

Police are also tracking down sex offenders in the area to see if any could be potential suspects. Officers say the victim is very traumatized by what happened. She also had injuries to her face and mouth from the attack.