A woman was accosted by a man on a bicycle Sunday near midnight, on the 3700 block of State Street, the Santa Barbara Police Department reported on September 6. He cornered her in a parking lot on the block — which holds Chick-fil-A and the Estancia townhomes among numerous businesses on the block — and tried to assault her sexually, she told officers. A driver heard her screams and drove toward the scene, pointing his headlights at them. The attacker fled, and the driver called 9-1-1.
SBPD commenced a saturation patrol, and plainclothes officers found Angel Anthony Richard Sanchez, 29, on the block the next night around 8:30 p.m. He matched the description given by the victim and ran when the officers identified themselves, Anthony Wagner, SBPD spokesperson, said. He was taken into custody after a struggle, Wagner said, and tried to grab a large knife hidden at his waist. The exact location of the assault was being withheld, Wagner added.
Sanchez was booked into County Jail on felony charges that include kidnapping, assault to commit rape, concealing a weapon, and resisting arrest. His booking photo shows a bloody abrasion over his right temple. The police request anyone with knowledge of Sanchez or his activities contact Detective Douglas Klug at (805) 897-2346 or dklug@sbpd.com.