Teen Fights Off Sexual Predator on Hiking Trail; Irvine Man Arrested

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Irvine Man Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Teen on Peters Canyon Hiking Trail

Irvine Man Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Teen on Peters Canyon Hiking Trail

Jan 6, 2023

A local man has been arrested for sexually assaulting a teenager on an Orange County hiking trail earlier this week.

Larry Molina, 24, of Irvine is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on the Peters Canyon Trail near the State Route 261 toll road.

Teen Fights Off Sexual Predator on Hiking Trail; Irvine Man Arrested

Irvine Police Department officials responded to a report of a sexual assault on January 2 at around 6 p.m., according to a CBS News story. “The juvenile victim passed Molina while she was walking on the path and after she passed him, he grabbed her and sexually assaulted her,” CBS said.

The survivor successfully fought off Molina and was able to escape and then run to a nearby home where she called for help. Officers reportedly canvassed the hiking trail scene and located evidence which connected Molina to the sex crime, CBS confirmed.

Detectives then conducted a search of Molina’s residence on January 3 and discovered additional evidence related to the attack at Peters Canyon Trail.

Molina was arrested and booked at Orange County Jail on charges of sexually assaulting a victim under the age of 16.

According to CBS News, Molina was not known to the survivor prior to the January 2 incident.

Anyone with information related to the investigation into the January 2 hiking trail sexual assault involving Molina or a potential separate incident is urged to contact Irvine Police Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724-7168 or via email at ghudson@cityofirvine.org.

Recent Sexual Assaults on Los Angeles-Area Hiking Trails

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued a warning in December 2022, urging public caution after a woman was sexually assaulted by a predator at knifepoint on an Encino hiking trail.

The incident occurred on November 21, 2022, when a woman was hiking on the trail along Mulholland Drive. Police indicated that the sexual assault happened somewhere between Tampa Avenue and Reseda Boulevard on Mulholland.

“Authorities said the suspect approached the woman from behind, forced her into a secluded area and sexually assaulted her,” ABC 7 reported.

“The suspect did have a knife with him at the time the crime was committed, though he didn’t use the knife during the commission of the crime,” Detective Joseph Hampton said during a December 2022 press conference.

The latest description of the suspect entails:

  • A white or Hispanic man
  • Approximately 30 years old
  • A two-inch scar on his right forearm

In December, LAPD officials announced that they had increased patrols in the area, but urged certain precautions to be taken by the public:

  • Hikers should travel in pairs and carry a cellphone in case of emergency.
  • Hikers should always be aware of their surroundings.
  • Hikers should always let others know in advance where they are going.

“Many times people see things and it seems suspicious to them and they imprint it on their mind and they see something,” Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said in December. “Quite often those clues and tips, cobbled together, will assist us greatly in this investigation.”

Anybody with information related to the Mulholland Drive hiking trail sexual assault is urged to contact LAPD detectives at 818-374-7717 or 877-527-3247.

Army Vet Charged With Multiple California Hiking Trail Sexual Assaults in 2021

In September 2021, an Army veteran and cargo pilot – Robert Daniel Yucas – was arrested in connection with a series of violent sexual assaults along hiking trails in Alisa Viejo, California.

A joint announcement from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Department indicated that Yucas raped at least one woman and tried to rape two others after choking them unconscious and then dragging the victims off of a trail in Aliso Viejo’s Woodfield Park.

Multiple sex crimes charges were filed against Yucas in 2021:

  • Three felony counts of kidnapping to commit a sex offense
  • One felony count of forcible rape
  • One felony count of attempted forcible rape
  • Three felony counts of assault with intent to commit a sexual offense

Authorities said the series of sexual assaults allegedly committed by Yucas began in January 2020 and continued through at least August 2021.

Investigators identified three separate incidents where Yucas was involved:

  1. January 20, 2020: A 24-year-old woman was at Aliso Viejo’s Woodfield Park to skateboard when a man (eventually identified as Yucas) reportedly asked her for directions. As the woman pulled out her phone, Yucas is accused of suddenly grabbing her in a chokehold and dragging the victim into the bushes near a walking path. The woman lost consciousness in the attack and, upon regaining consciousness, discovered that she had been raped. Authorities were reportedly able to collect DNA evidence from the incident, but a match in the national database was not found.
  2. April 2, 2020: A 32-year-old woman was running in Woodfield Park when a man (eventually identified as Yucas) grabbed her from behind and put her in a chokehold. Once again, Yucas is accused of dragging the woman into the bushes in an attempt to rape her – but in this particular incident the woman was reportedly able to fight him off. Authorities indicated DNA evidence was obtained in this attack.
  3. August 28, 2021: A 41-year-old woman was in Woodfield Park when a man suddenly attacked her, placing the victim in a chokehold. The woman reportedly lost consciousness and woke up in the bushes next to a walking path to find her pants had been pulled down.

How to File a California Sexual Assault Civil Lawsuit

Survivors of sexual assault have rights under the law, including the option to bring a civil claim against a perpetrator in an effort to recover financial compensation for damages, such as:

  • Counseling or therapy expenses (past and future)
  • Hospital or medical care expenses (past and future)
  • Pain and suffering
  • Lost wages and/or reduced future earning capacity
  • Emotional trauma/psychological harm
  • Medication or prescription expenses
  • Punitive damages
  • Diminished quality of life

Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) Glendale, California, sexual assault attorneys are available 24/7 to discuss your case for free and without any obligation. All sexual assault consultations are completely confidential, and one of our team members will review the facts of your case, go over your legal rights and options, discuss how long it may take to reach a settlement, and provide a general estimate for how much your claim may be worth.

DLG is led by Sam Dordulian, a former sex crimes prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who helped secure life sentences against some of the community’s most dangerous sexual predators. Dordulian founded DLG as a different kind of full-service firm offering survivors of sexual assault a 24/7 support network known as the SAJE Team (Sexual Assault Justice Experts).

DLG’s SAJE Team includes:

  • A team of proven sexual assault lawyers led by Dordulian
  • An in-house licensed clinical therapist
  • An in-house retired LAPD sex crimes detective
  • An in-house victim advocate

We’re here to serve as your dedicated legal advocates and will fight tirelessly to secure the justice and maximum financial compensation you deserve for your sexual assault case.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free Los Angeles sexual assault attorney consultation.

Civil claims for sexual assault incidents which occurred after January 1, 2009 are currently not bound to the traditional statute of limitations under California AB 2777. The Sexual Abuse And Cover-Up Accountability Act, or AB 2777, affords all adult survivors of sexual assault a three-year window to bring civil claims against perpetrators in an effort to recover financial compensation.

Author

Samuel Dordulian

Samuel Dordulian, founder

Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.




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