ROSSMOOR – A 28-year-old woman was cut and stabbed Tuesday night in what police believe was a random attack as she jogged through this quiet community seldom touched by violent crime.
The attack was reported shortly before 9:15 p.m. in the 3200 block of Bostonian Drive, next to the play fields of Rossmoor Elementary School. It’s a wide street, lighted by street lamps, and neighbors said it’s a popular route for joggers and people walking dogs well into the evening.
“It’s a close, safe neighborhood,” said Linda Fatone, 63, a retired court clerk who has lived in the area for 26 years and was walking her golden retriever, Bogey, on Wednesday morning. “I mean, kids walk to school. They walk home from school. It’s just, it’s a family neighborhood.”
Fatone said she often takes Bogey out for a late walk if she can’t sleep. “I don’t even think twice,” she said.
The attacker did not attempt to rob the woman or sexually assault her. Investigators have not identified the man or his motive for grabbing the woman from behind and cutting her with a knife as she fought back.
They were hoping to develop a composite sketch of the attacker, but the woman “was too upset” to provide a detailed description, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
The attacker was described only as a Latino man in his 20s, between 5 feet, 7 inches and 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with a thin build. He was wearing dark clothing and a baseball cap.
The woman, a resident of the area, was treated for stab wounds to her hands, arms and face. She has since been released from the hospital.
Investigators say the woman in Tuesday night’s attack fought back after the man grabbed her from behind. She was able to knock his knife down and break free, but the man chased her and continued to stab her. A nearby resident heard her screams, came outside and scared off the man, who fled on a BMX-style bicycle, officials said.
“The woman stated she thought it was going to be a robbery, but he never attempted to rob her,” Amormino said. She told investigators that the attacker “appeared angry,” he said.
Rossmoor, a planned community of leafy streets, wide front yards and well-kept homes near Los Alamitos, attracts affluent families and retirees with its reputation for peace and quiet.
The community of about 10,000 residents has had three strong-arm robberies and a single aggravated assault since the beginning of 2011, according to statistics kept by the Sheriff’s Department. The most common crimes inside its red-brick entry walls, by far, are vehicle violations, followed by thefts from vehicles.
“It’s a wonderful neighborhood,” said Janet Younkin, 66, who has lived there for 42 years and whose house looks out on the site of Tuesday night’s attack. She was working in a back room and didn’t hear anything unusual until a police helicopter was whirring overhead.
“It’s just always been a great, safe place,” she said. “There’s always people out walking.”
The Sheriff’s Department asked that anyone with information about Tuesday night’s attack call 714-628-7170. Tips can also be submitted at 855-TIP-OCCS, 855-847-6227, or occrimestoppers.org.
Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361