BERKELEY, Calif. (KRON) — A suspect in a series of sexual assaults on UC Berkeley’s campus was taken into custody on Tuesday, university police confirmed to KRON4. The Palo Alto Police Department said that the suspect was also believed to have committed another sexual assault at a Palo Alto underpass.
The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Daniel Widyanto Condronimpuno of Palm Beach, Florida. He was arrested on the UC Berkeley campus at about 12:40 p.m.
UC Berkeley police believe four on-campus assaults were connected, and they released images of the suspect on Tuesday morning. The most recent assault happened just after midnight on Tuesday, involving a young woman being grabbed from behind and knocked to the floor near the Foothill Complex residence hall. The woman was able to fight back and get away.
In the other three cases, the suspect grabbed female students in inappropriate areas over their clothes.
- On April 5 a student was allegedly assaulted at the Eucalyptus Grove at about 1:30 p.m.
- On April 8 at about 5:40 p.m. a woman’s breast and buttocks were reportedly grabbed while walking near Memorial Stadium. The victim was pushed up against a wall before getting away.
- On April 9 at about 9:40 a.m., police said a woman was assaulted near Stephens Hall.
“I normally walk around campus alone, and most of the time I’m a little scared, I carry pepper spray,” Naydian Beltran-Garcia, a UC Berkeley student, told KRON4. “So that made me really anxious.”
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The Palo Alto assault, which police described as “brazen,” occurred just before 3 p.m. on Sunday. A woman in her 50s was walking her bike through the underpass when a man struck her from behind, knocked her down and sexually assaulted her. The suspect took the woman’s phone and fled.
Condronimpuno was booked into Santa Clara County jail for attempted rape by force, sexual penetration by force, assault with intent to commit rape, forcible sexual battery, false imprisonment, felony battery, assault with a deadly weapon and robbery.
The case was described by UC Berkeley police as being “complex.” It is still under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call (510) 642-6760.
