Photo: Edgar Rodriguez Ruelas
Ventura County – On the afternoon of Thursday, March 6th, a teenage female was enjoying a walk in broad daylight along an urban hiking trail in Thousand Oaks’ Oak Park. According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Captain Eric Buschow, she was suddenly set upon by an adult male later identified as 37-year-old Woodland Hills resident Edgar Rodriguez Ruelas.
During the attack, “Ruelas grabbed the victim” as she walked by and attempted to abduct the teen. She managed to resist and “was able to get away” without suffering any injuries needing medical attention.
As Ruelas fled the scene, the victim contacted 911 Emergency Dispatch and provided a cogent account of the attack as well as a clear description of her attacker and the “white Nissan Rogue sport utility vehicle” in which he fled from the scene.
Twenty-four hours later, detectives tracked Ruelas down to Torrey Pines State Preserve in San Diego County. Detectives made contact with him as he sat behind the wheel of a vehicle which matched the victim’s description exactly.
Ruelas as taken into custody and transported back north to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on multiple violent charges including attempted sexual assault and kidnapping. He remains in custody with his bail set at $1,000,000.
Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking
