Police search for rapist in Sebastopol

Sebastopol police are searching for a man who reportedly raped a 51-year-old woman in downtown Sebastopol on Sunday night.

The woman was walking along Pitt Avenue near the intersection of Keating Avenue around 8 p.m. Sunday when the man forced her into a secluded area behind Safeway and allegedly raped her.

“We are very concerned, and we are taking this very seriously,” said Sgt. David Harston. “This is not something that is common for this area.”

The woman, who lives in the neighborhood, described her attacker as a slender white or Latino man, according to Harston. He appeared to be around 6 feet tall and younger than 30 years old. He was wearing dark pants, possibly a dark jacket, and had slicked-back hair. Harston said. The woman told police that the man was not carrying a weapon, and she did not recognize him.

Harston said the woman was walking down the street, running an errand, when the man allegedly forced her into a dark area behind Safeway that is hidden from public view by a concrete wall. Large trees also line that section of Pitt Avenue.

“It was very dark and it was raining,” Harston said. “And in that area, there’s not a lot of vehicle traffic, and there isn’t a lot of street lighting.”

The woman reported the rape at 8:45 p.m. when she returned home, minutes after the attack.

Police are interviewing possible witnesses, including two people who live near Safeway and may have heard something related to the attack. Harston said one person reported hearing yelling, and another person at a different residence heard a female voice, but could not make out what was being said.

Harston said police are also investigating a possible link to a white car seen in the area. The woman told police that she noticed a small white sedan parked in the area before her alleged rape. She said she heard a vehicle drive away after the attack, and said the car was gone.

Harston said police also are looking into any possible connection between the attack on Sunday and an attempted rape late last month, when a man tried raping a woman sleeping in her van near the the Joe Rodota Trail.

“We’re not ruling it out,” Harston said, pointing out that the descriptions of the two men, however, are not alike.

Police are encouraging anyone who may have heard or saw anything suspicious to contact the Police Department at ?829-4400.

You can reach Staff Writer Angela Hart at 526-8503 or angela.hart@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ahartreports.