LIVERMORE (KRON) – Police say that the victim who reported being sexually assaulted during a hike in Livermore admitted it was a hoax.
The 29-year-old woman told police she was walking in the area of Arroyo Trail and Arroyo Road around 6 p.m. on Tuesday when she was approached and grabbed from behind by a male suspect and sexually assaulted. She said the suspect then fled the area.
The woman was later found bloody and lying on the ground. A witness said it seemed as though she had been unconscious.
“As detectives worked the investigation, evidence and statements were obtained that raised concerns about the validity of the reported assault,” police said. “While reviewing the case with her, the reported victim disclosed that she had fabricated the entire incident, and that no assault of any type had occurred.”
Police also said that a second person, a 23-year-old female, reported being the victim of a sexual assault on the Arroyo Trail on Thursday night at about 7:52 p.m. The woman recanted her statement this morning and admitted to fabricating the incident.
In the past three years there have been three reported sexual batteries on or near the Arroyo Trail. It is not known whether any of those cases are related to the current assault, police said.
“While the two reported sexual assault cases were hoaxes, the Livermore Police Department would like to remind community members to be aware of their surroundings and proactive in reporting suspicious behavior or occurrences,” police said.