SAN FRANCISCO – A BART passenger was attacked and sexually assaulted while riding a train in broad daylight.
This happened on the Richmond-Millbrae line Wednesday morning.
The victim is a resident of Richmond, and did not want to be identified for her safety. She said she got on BART at Richmond Station Wednesday morning to go to her job in San Francisco. It was 11:30 a.m. and the train car she entered was empty.
She told KTVU, “About a minute in, just sitting down, I felt somebody behind me. I was in a solo seat and they were able to fully go behind me and grab my neck.”
At first the woman thought someone was trying to rob her. Then she felt a hand down her shirt.
“That’s when I realized, oh he doesn’t want my phone, he wants my body. He started putting his hands down my shirt and I started fighting with everything I had.”
The woman said she started screaming and swinging her arms. She said her attacker punched her in the face. He put his hand over her mouth and she bit his finger until it bled.
“I realized this was about survival at this moment and honestly he’d have to kill me if he was going to rape me,” she said. “That’s all I could think about is if my family finds me dead at least I tried. And they would know that I tried my hardest.”
The attacker finally released the woman as they approached the El Cerrito Del Norte station. She took pictures of the man and called police.
“I was banging on the windows as we were pulling into the station and then everybody was seeing what was happening, so people started pointing,” said the woman.
Ed Alvarez, the BART Chief of Police called the incident “very disturbing. A very unfortunate situation.”
Alvarez said they pulled surveillance video from the train and used pictures taken by the victim to identify the suspect. They tracked him down in Richmond. Officers arrested 21-year Ludwin Mazan of San Francisco.
Passengers should feel safe riding BART,” said Alvarez. “We have a lot of things in place to make sure people are safe. We have cameras on our train cars, we have cameras on our platforms, we have train operators that are in the cab that can be easily accessed. We have a BART Watch app that allows individuals real time information to our dispatchers.”
There are also officers patrolling the stations, although the victim said she did not see an officer at Richmond station or on her train. She was critical of police response and general safety on BART.
She said, “I didn’t think at 11:30 in the morning I would have to be fighting for my life on public transportation that I think is supposed to be safe.”
Lawsuit: 8-year-old girl with Down syndrome repeatedly raped, beaten on school bus
YAKIMA — The parents of a 8-year-old girl with Down syndrome are suing Yakima School District No. 7 for allegedly failing to stop a disabled 5th grade boy from repeatedly sexually and physically abusing the girl while the two rode a school bus.
The lawsuit, filed by the Tamaki Law Offices in Yakima, alleges the girl was repeatedly assaulted from Sept. 2013 until March of 2014. The assaults allegedly ranged in duration from several minutes to 15 minutes each, and were often filmed by a school bus camera. The suit alleges both the bus driver and the school district were negligent, and failed to supervise its students properly.
According to the lawsuit, the abuse — which occurred on a special needs bus — included, “punching, pinching, scratching, hitting, slapping” and multiple sexual assaults. The abuse was reported on March 27 when the girl arrived home with bruises and deep scratches on her face. The family notified the school, who allegedly discovered the abuse had been happening for months. The bus driver was put on leave and the suspected perpetrator, an 11-year-old boy who also has severe disabilities, was immediately expelled.
According to police documents, the boy allegedly sat next to the victim every day. In at least one video, police said, the boy was allegedly seen manipulating the girl “like a doll,” putting her face in his lap, grabbing her crotch and kissing her.
Other children allegedly noticed the abuse, documents show, and told the boy to stop. However, he usually ignored or could not understand their requests.
“We don’t, as a district, respond to media requests related to active litigation,” said Jennifer Baird in the Yakima superintendent’s office. She said she would look into what action has been taken with the bus driver.
Calif. woman recalls attack, rape by homeless man — released from jail hours earlier
Left-wing billionaire and Democrat donor George Soros has turned his attention in recent years to local races for prosecutor, using his money to elect “progressives” who push “criminal justice reform” and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
The rise of these Soros-backed prosecutors has coincided with a massive surge in murder and crime in many Democrat-run cities, including many where these prosecutors have implemented radical policies toward policing and incarceration.
Most recently, for example, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón has faced criticism for his radical reforms in the year since he took office, while murders soared. “The city last year experienced 397 murders, up 11.8 percent from the 355 the previous year, and a 53.9 percent increase from the 258 in the pre-pandemic year of 2019,” Los Angeles magazine noted.
These murders included the shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, a black philanthropist and the wife of legendary music producer Clarence Avant, who was killed during a robbery in her home. Gascón blamed the “system” for her death.
More recently, a young woman, Brianna Kupfer, was stabbed to death in broad daylight in the furniture store where she worked. Her alleged killer was out on bail for a 2020 arrest in Los Angeles and a 2019 arrest in South Carolina. Her father blamed politicians who had let criminals roam free — a growing sentiment in cities where Soros-backed prosecutors rule.
Many of the candidates Soros has backed have received support, directly or indirectly, from a network of groups with names like “Justice & Public Safety PAC.” The Influence Watch website describes Soros’s organizations as the “‘Safety and Justice’ network, a project of left-leaning billionaire George Soros that used a network of similarly named state-level PACs to finance the campaigns of progressive Democratic candidates for district attorney in more than a dozen of America’s cities.”
Soros-backed prosecutors include:
Supported by Soros through spending by political action committees (PACs) and super PACs:
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón – Elected in 2020, he ousted incumbent D.A. Jackie Lacey, the first black woman to hold the job, and has prided himself on reducing prison sentences, even as violent crime has soared in L.A.
(Chicago) Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx – Foxx became notorious for her intervention in the Jussie Smollett case, dropping charges against the actor for a hate crime hoax. (Smollett was later convicted.) Chicago hit 800 homicides in 2021.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner – Soros supported Krasner with nearly $1.7 million in spending in 2017, more than five times as much as Kranser spent himself. Philadelphia set a new record for homicides in 2021, with 562 in total.
(Houston) Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg – Ogg is considered one of the more moderate of Soros’s prosecutors, and had to overcome opposition from even more left-wing prosecutors in 2020. Houston’s homicide rate rose 71% in 2021.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot – Cruezot dropped prosecutions for thefts of “personal items” valued at less than $750, among other radical reforms, and was reduced to reminding residents that theft was still against the law.
(San Antonio) Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales – Gonzales has been described as “one of Soros’s favorite DAs,” presiding over a stunning 52% increase in homicides in San Antonio since 2019, though violent crime was down overall.
Phoenix District Attorney Paul Penzone – Soros spent millions to defeat Joe Arpaio and support Penzone, who gained national attention in 2020 when he resisted efforts by Republicans to audit the ballots in the controversial 2020 election.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner – Gardner has faced ethical complaints over the prosecution of former Governor Eric Greitens, as well as that of Mark and Patricia McCloskey. She was kicked off the latter prosecution after using it to fundraise.
(East San Francisco Bay Area) Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton – Becton famously charged a couple with a “hate crime” for painting over a “Black Lives Matter” mural that was painted on a public road in Martinez, California.
Supported by Soros indirectly:
(New York) Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg – Bragg was elected with help from the Color of Change PAC, to which Soros donated $1 million. He has banned pre-trial incarceration and prison for all but homicide and a few other cases.
Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby – Mosby, one of the original “Black Lives Matter” prosecutors, reportedly took a trip abroad sponsored by a Soros-backed group. She was recently indicted on federal charges of mortgage fraud and perjury.
(Orlando) Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monque Worrell – Worrell succeeded Soros-backed Aramis Ayala, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked off a murder case for declining to seek charges in a murder because she opposed the death penalty.
A further list of Soros-backed prosecutors, current through 2019, is available through Influence Watch. These include prosecutors such as Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj – Biberaj came under scrutiny after a parent was arrested for speaking out at a school board meeting against district policies after his daughter was sexually assaulted. Another list is available through the Capital Research Center, including descriptions of Soros-backed prosecutors’ records.
Not every left-wing prosecutor is directly backed by Soros. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was not backed by Soros — but he received $100,000 from a PAC controlled by Soros-backed George Gascón to fight a recall election effort.
In 2018, the Los Angeles Timesreported that Soros had funded at least 21 local prosecutorial campaigns, though it noted that the full extent of his influence on such races was unknown, because some of his contributions flowed to non-profit organizations and “dark money” groups rather than directly to campaigns. He has continued and expanded his role since.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
Correction: an earlier version of this article identified Paul Penzone as D.A. of Maricopa County; he is D.A. of Phoenix.
62-year-old woman beaten, raped at Bay Area bus stop; transient arrested: Police
This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
Police have arrested a homeless man on suspicion of beating and raping a 62-year-old woman while she waited for a bus in San Mateo.
In this photo released Aug. 11, 2020, by the San Mateo Police Department, is Alejandro Vanegas Guevara. Police arrested a homeless man on …
San Mateo police Chief Ed Barberini says 27-year-old Alejandro Vanegas Guevara was arrested Tuesday in Redwood City on felony charges including forcible rape, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Vanegas Guevara has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Police say the victim was at a bus stop heading home the night of Aug. 5 when she was beaten, raped, and, at some point, knocked unconscious.
Detectives identified a suspect in the case after receiving hundreds of tips and poring through hours surveillance video, according to the San Mateo Police Department.
While following up on information, detectives uncovered clear footage of the suspect from video that was taken at a taqueria near downtown, police said.
Vanegas Guevara was identified as the suspect though those surveillance images, investigators added.
Police credited the tips with helping lead to the arrest.
“This case is a perfect example of how strong stakeholder partnerships and a connected community can help take a sexual predator off the street,” police said in a statement. “Thank you to all members of the media for your incredible coverage, and to everyone who shared, re-Tweeted, and forwarded our messages. We couldn’t have done it without you!”
Police also set up a fundraiser to help the victim, who is the sole provider for her two sons as a well as her 90-year-old mother. Anyone who wants to help can find more information at at https://sanmateopoa.org/crime-survivor-fund.
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A rape victim in California has shared a harrowing image of her facial injuries after she was assaulted by a homeless man who had been released from jail just a few hours earlier.
Marissa Young, 44, of Torrance, was walking her dogs about 1 a.m. July 31 when she was attacked by Darrell Waters, 46, who was arrested days earlier on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of a dagger, CBS News reported, citing police.
The homeless man was released on his own recognizance about 12 hours before the brutal assault, according to the report.
“I was tackled from behind, I heard nothing,” Young told KTLA. “I didn’t have headphones in, I wasn’t looking at my phone, I was just walking straight forward to my destination.”
She said the man pushed her to the ground and raped her.
Marissa Young, 44, of Torrance, California, was brutally assaulted by a man who had been released from jail hours earlier, police say.GoFundMeYoung was assaulted as she walked her dogs about 1 a.m. July 31.KTLA
“This person punched me in the face, closed-fisted, 15 to 20 times at least,” she told the outlet. “My nose is broken in four different places and this bone was shattered here [she points to her upper cheek area]. You can still see a lot of swelling in my face.”
Young told CBS News that she fought for her life for “probably three-quarters of the attack,” which lasted for almost 30 minutes.
“It was a crime of opportunity, because I’m of small stature and my back was to him,” she told the network.
Darrell Waters, 46, has been charged with one felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by use of force.Torrance Police
Waters, who was captured about 24 hours later a couple of miles from the site of the attack, was charged with one felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by use of force, CBS News said.
Young expressed her anger that the suspect had been released from jail so soon after his earlier arrest.
“My nose is broken in four different places and this bone was shattered here,” Young said.KTLA
“It’s horrifying to think that they were holding this guy with a huge knife that was taken off him that’s illegal and he was let go the next day even though he has a record,” she told KTLA.
The Torrance City Attorney’s Office told the station in a statement that Waters’ release by police was “in accordance with the penal code.”
City Attorney Patrick Sullivan told CBS News that his office “does not provide any input as to the custodial status of a misdemeanor arrestee until the case is presented for filing consideration.
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Darrell Waters, 46, was captured about 24 hours after the rape and charged with three felonies.Torrance Police
Marissa Young, 44, said she fought for her life during the 30-minute sexual assault.GoFundMe
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“It was a crime of opportunity, because I’m of small stature and my back was to him,” she said about the brutal attack.KTLA
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“When the Torrance Police Department presented this case to our office for filing consideration on August 3, 2022, Mr. Waters had already been released from custody,” he added.
Young said that after undergoing five surgeries, she decided to come forward as a warning to other women in the community.
“Once something like this happens to you, it sort of changes your mind as to what the laws should be,” she told KTLA.
Her friends have launched a GoFundMe drive to help her cover the cost of living and medical expenses.
“She is the brightest and shiniest person I know,” her friend Debbie wrote.
“Small in stature but big in personality, she is kind, compassionate, loves and accepts others, and is also a fierce little pocket full of dynamite. In short, she is a beautiful woman with a bright future and was set to start nursing school in the fall,” she added in the fundraiser, which had raised more than $86,000 by Tuesday morning.
