A man confirmed to be experiencing homelessness has been arrested by the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) after he allegedly climbed on top of a female sunbather and "started thrusting against her."
The incident took place on Tuesday, August 27, at approximately 1:30pm on the centrally located 1300 block of Santa Monica Beach, between Arizona Ave and Santa Monica Blvd.
According to SMPD, LA County Lifeguards flagged down a police officer assigned to the beach to report that a woman had been sexually assaulted. While she was sunbathing, an unknown male climbed on top of her and began thrusting against her. She quickly got up and with her sister's help, pushed the suspect away who then left the scene, heading southbound on the beach while the victim looked for help.
Using the description provided by the victim and the witness, SMPD officers located the suspect a short distance away. He was positively identified as Alonzo Dickson, a 25-year-old homeless individual and placed under arrest for felony Sexual Battery with Restraint [243.3 PC].
The case will be presented to the District Attorney for filing consideration. Dickson remains in custody and has no known arrest record in California. However, he has at least one pending criminal case in Washington State. Detectives are looking into the details of that incident as part of this investigation.
Over the July 4 holiday weekend, a man confirmed as experiencing homelessness held a knife to the throat of 16-year-old boy on Santa Monica Pier.
In June, Jawann Dwayne Garnett of Los Angeles, attacked a 17-year-old girl who was on the sand near Lifeguard Tower 13, striking and strangling her. A 25-year-old female bystander, also experiencing homelessness, intervened in the attack, suffering injuries when Garnett punched her and bit her ear. Garnett then attacked a female in her 70s who was walking near the waterline, pulling her into the ocean and holding her underwater.
And in May, a homeless man dragged a woman across the beach path by her hair in violent assault.
Anyone with information about this individual or incident is encouraged to contact
Detective Murphy or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
