Police are investigating a sexual assault that occurred overnight this weekend at the Palo Alto Transit Center. The victim received minor physical injuries. The suspect is at unknown and at large.
On Saturday, August 27, 2022, at about 2:12 p.m., our 24-hour dispatch center received a call from a nurse at a local hospital reporting a sexual assault that had occurred overnight, where the victim was now receiving medical treatment.
The investigation revealed that the victim, a woman in her forties, had been riding a bus from South San Francisco and exited at the Palo Alto Transit Center at 95 University Avenue when the bus reached the end of the line. The suspect, who had been the only other passenger on the bus, also exited. At a point she estimated as being sometime between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., the suspect attacked her near the portable restrooms and sexually assaulted her.
The victim described the suspect as a Hispanic male in his forties, about 6 feet 3 inches tall with a “lanky” build and a beard. He was wearing an orange beanie. The victim told police she had seen the suspect several times on the late-night bus recently. It is possible the victim may be able to work with a police artist to produce a sketch of the suspect; if that occurs, we will release that sketch as soon as it is available. The victim received minor physical injuries.
Detectives are actively investigating this incident. There have been no recent similar crimes reported to police in Palo Alto.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.
