Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Division. (Randy Vazquez / Bay Space Information Group)
Two separate assaults on mountaineering trails in Los Gatos that doubtlessly concerned the identical man have been reported final month.
The assaults occurred at St. Joseph’s Hill Open House Protect, when a person assaulted two totally different units of hikers and threatened them with a knife.
There have been no updates on the case as of Feb. 3, stated Sgt. Katherine Mann from the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Division.
Los Gatos residents expressed their concern over the incidents on the division’s Fb submit concerning the assaults.
“That is very disturbing,” Los Gatos resident Silvia Alice Botelho stated in a Fb message. “I used to be going to hike there on Sunday afternoon, and I normally hike alone. Thank God I’ve determined in opposition to it.”
Anna Martinez-Retzer additionally commented on the Fb submit with some ideas for mountaineering alone.
“This, sadly, can occur in so many locations. Positively be alert, carry mace, stick, don't put on headphones, and a canine helps,” Martinez-Retzer stated.
Police stated path customers ought to undertake protected habits for the trials, corresponding to mountaineering in pairs and letting somebody know the place you’re going.
The division additionally stated path customers ought to preserve earbud quantity low to stay conscious of their environment, and to keep away from getting on the paths at evening.
The primary assault occurred round 6:15 p.m. Jan. 13 when a teen boy and lady on the Jones Path instructed authorities a person approached them and made threats whereas holding a knife.
The second assault was reported at 5:10 p.m. Sunday by a lady who was on the Manzanita strolling path. She instructed police that a man approached her from behind and assaulted her, and was holding a knife as he tried to restrain her.
She broke free from his grasp and obtained the eye of others on the path, and the person fled.
Brett Houston stated he was on the path on the time of the Sunday assault.
“I positive hope this less-then-human is caught,” Houston commented on the Fb submit. “Pure luck Amit and I have been the primary folks to get to her as she was operating out of the bushes screaming for assist. Grateful for those who helped us assist her with consolation, prayer, water and cellphone calls to amass police assist and search.”
Every sufferer described the attacker as a Latino man about 5 toes 5 inches tall, 150 kilos, carrying all darkish clothes and what may need been a bandana masking his face. Sunday’s sufferer stated her attacker may need been carrying a dark-colored mountaineering backpack.
Police stated a single attacker is feasible, although they aren't ruling out the likelihood that it might be two separate people. The division is working with different companies about any comparable assault circumstances within the space.
Anybody with details about the reported path assaults can contact the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Division at 408-354-8600.