BERKELEY (KRON) — A woman was out for a morning walk with her dog when she was sexually assaulted in Berkeley.
“In this incident the suspect told the victim that he had a gun and forced her to a secluded location where he sexually assaulted her,” said Berkeley Police Officer Byron White.
It happened around 7:30 a.m. near Dwight Way and Hillegass in Berkeley.
The suspect, 36-year-old Demetrius Johnson, was arrested a short time later.
White says the victim was robbed of her phone as well and had to use the neighbor’s phone to call police
“She was unable to use her cell phone after the incident but she was able to call us and we were able to get up here and arrest the suspect,” the officer said.
People’s Park is near the location of crime.
The park is UC Berkeley property and patrolled by UC police.
Officer White says this sex crime happened on a Berkeley city street
“This is something that is quite rare in our community,” White said.
That may be but people who live, work and go to school in this area say the fact that the woman was attacked while walking her dog in the morning heightens their concerns.
“This is definitely an iffy neighborhood at night. I am use to worrying about it at 2 in the morning. 7 in the morning definitely makes it scarier,” a Berkeley resident said.
The suspect was arrested and charged with robbery, kidnapping with intent for rape and forced oral copulation.