Ethiopian man arrested in San Diego on suspicion of assault

SAN DIEGO (San Diego Union-Tribune) – Police detectives on Wednesday arrested a 24-year-old man as a suspect in an attack Saturday on a 38-year-old woman in Linda Vista.

Detectives from the sex-crimes unit arrested Mulugeta Hagos, an immigrant from Ethiopia, as he was walking on Fulton Street near Hyatt Street in Linda Vista, said police spokeswoman Monica Muñoz.

Earlier Wednesday, Hagos was identified as the suspect in the assault, Munoz said.

The incident occurred about 6:15 a.m. Saturday as the woman was walking toward a bus bench on Linda Vista Road near Fulton Street. A man got out of his car, grabbed her from behind, aimed a pistol at her head and tried to force her into the vehicle, Muñoz said.

When the woman fought back, the attacker struck her at least once on the head with the gun, Muñoz said. The gun went off during the struggle, but the woman wasn’t hit.

Hagos will be booked into central jail on suspicion of attempted sexual assault, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping for sexual assault, Muñoz said.

The woman was treated for injuries at a hospital Saturday and released.