A man was arrested Sunday after having been accused of touching himself inappropriately just before physically attacking a woman in Castaic.
According to Deputy Natalie Arriaga, a spokeswoman for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, the arrest stems from a report law enforcement received on July 8 regarding an indecent exposure near the 31700 block of Castaic Road.
“Upon arrival, deputies learned the victim was driving her big rig truck on the (Interstate 5) northbound, near Castaic when she observed the suspect touching himself inappropriately in a vehicle driving alongside her,” said Arriaga.
The trucker reportedly soon exited the freeway, but the suspect is believed to have followed the woman in his own vehicle.
“The victim came to a stop on the 31700 block of Castaic Road in Castaic and was approached by the suspect who began to yell obscenities at the victim,” said Arriaga. “During a verbal argument, the victim began to record the suspect.”
At that moment, the suspect, described as a 29-year-old transient living in the area, became angry and forcefully took the phone from the victim and threw it on the ground, causing damage, according to Arriaga.
“During the struggle of the phone, the victim sustained minor injury,” the SCV Sheriff’s Station spokeswoman said. “The suspect entered his vehicle and drove out of view.”
The suspect remained outstanding at the time the report was taken. However, he was ultimately apprehended on Sunday and booked into custody on at least one count of robbery.
Possible additional charges had not yet been reported as of Monday due to the arrest report not yet being available as of this article’s publication.
The man was held in lieu of $350,000 bail and remains in law enforcement custody as of Monday afternoon, according to L.A. County Sheriff’s Department arrest logs.