ROSSMOOR – An 18-year-old man was arrested Thursday night in connection with what officials said was the random stabbing of a 28-year-old woman earlier this week.
James Rivas was taken into custody at his home in the 12000 block of Davenport Road on Thursday night, just a few blocks from where the attack happened Tuesday evening.
The arrest came two days after a woman who was jogging suffered cuts and stab wounds in the attack in a neighborhood residents described as safe and popular with dog-walkers and joggers.
The attack was reported in the 3200 block of Bostonian Drive.
Officials said Rivas came up behind the woman and began trying to stab her. There was no attempt to rob or sexually assault the woman, authorities said.
The woman fought back and knocked the knife out of the assailant’s hand, but officials said he chased her down and continued the attack until a neighbor yelled and scared the man away.
It was a rare incident in the unincorporated community of 10,000 residents, which has had three strong-arm robberies and one aggravated assault since 2011, according to statistics provided by the Sheriff’s Department.
The woman was released from the hospital Wednesday.
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