Photo: File photo of Justo | Courtesy of San Luis Obispo PD
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – On April 5, 2023, the San Luis Obispo Police Department received a report of robbery that had just occurred in the 1200 block of Marsh.
Officers arrived to find a male, bleeding from the mouth and soaking wet, who stated he was assaulted, and his backpack was stolen.
Through their investigation, the officers learned that the victim was on the bank of San Luis Obispo Creek near the Toro Street Bridge when he was approached by Omar Justo, a 35-year-old transient of San Luis Obispo, who had an encampment nearby. Justo demanded the victim hand over his backpack, and when the victim dropped it, Justo threatened to kill and sexually assault him.
Justo then punched and kicked the victim, dragged him into the creek, prevented him from climbing out of the water, and threw large rocks at him, hitting him in the torso. The victim was able to escape to the opposite side of the creek and went to a nearby business for help. The victim was taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers located Justo in the area where the assault occurred and took him into custody without incident. He was transported to the San Luis Obispo County Jail and charged with robbery, criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and committing a felony while out on bail/release. Justo had been arrested in June 2022 for a robbery and assault that occurred at an encampment near the 101/Madonna interchange. However, he was released from custody on January 18, 2023, on the Post Arraignment Monitoring Program while awaiting trial.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department is reminding the public to remain vigilant of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity immediately. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the San Luis Obispo Police Department at (805) 781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.
