Man Arrested for One Sexual Assault Suspect in Many Sexual Assault

SAN DIEGO — A man who attacked a woman in the garage of her Mission Valley condo complex Wednesday was arrested shortly afterward, and is suspected in six similar home-invasion robberies and sexual assaults of women during the last year, police said.

Thomas Parker, 39, of Tierrasanta, was apprehended after the victim, a marathon runner, and others began chasing him and an off-duty Border Patrol agent who was nearby also took part in the chase and made the arrest.

Parker will be booked into county jail on charges of burglary, robbery, assault with intent to commit rape, and false imprisonment, said San Diego police spokesman Gary Hassen.

Additional charges may be filed based on results of DNA tests, Hassen said.

Detectives believe Parker, who was wearing a ball cap and sunglasses, may be the suspect in a year-long series of similar attacks, Hassen said. Those attacks were on Asian women. The woman in Wednesday's attack is white, Hassen said.

The woman, who is 33 years old and married, had been shopping when she returned home to the complex near Fenton Parkway and Friars Road about 1:30 p.m. She was in her garage when a man entered, grabbed her and threatened her with a knife. He started to close the garage door and the woman began to fight with him.

The man fled, and the woman chased him while yelling for help. Neighbors called 911. The woman flagged down other residents of the condo complex who were driving nearby and they began chasing the man with her.

The assailant ran across the intersection of Fenton Parkway and Friars Road. An off-duty Border Patrol Agent who was stopped at a traffic light got out of his vehicle and also joined in the chase. The agent arrested Parker without incident.

A second off-duty Border Patrol Agent assisted until police arrived.

The woman was slightly injured during the assault, but did not require immediate medical attention, Hassen said.

(SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE)