A man has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting an 84-year-old Santa Monica woman.
In the incident earlier this month, the woman was heard screaming for help after the 39-year-old man dragged her into an alley, Santa Monica police said Tuesday.
Police responded at about 9:30 p.m. June 5 to the cries of the woman near the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and 6th Street, the police statement said.
“Upon arrival, officers located an 84-year-old Santa Monica resident who appeared to be in distress,” police said. “The victim reported that she was approached and grabbed from behind by a male suspect who then dragged her into a nearby alley and attempted to sexually assault her.”
The department said there were multiple witnesses at the scene who backed up the woman’s statement and told officers the suspect fled to the north. Police were able to find and detain the suspect at 5th Street and California Avenue.
The suspect, Pape Tall of Long Beach, has been charged by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office with felony counts, including assault with intent to commit rape and kidnapping with intent to commit rape, police said.
Tall was charged on June 9. He is being held at Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles without bail. His next court date is scheduled for July 9 at the Airport Courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport.
Santa Monica police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Det. Maricela Orta at (310) 458-2293 (maricela.orta@santamonica.gov), Sgt. Chad Goodwin at (310) 458-8931, or the watch commander’s desk at (310) 458-8427.
