Man charged with raping two women in national forest after third woman heard screaming from his van
A 40-year-old man has been charged with raping two women in a national forest after a third woman was rescued from his van, according to authorities.
Eduardo Sarabia, 40, was arrested on Monday after police responded to reports of the sound of a woman screaming for help inside his van in southern California, local outlet ABC7 reported.
Officer’s arrived to find the woman trapped inside.
Following his arrest, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department learned that he had allegedly sexually assaulted two other women over the past two days on 12 and 13 May.
The assaults also took place near California’s Highway 39 in the Angeles National Forest, police said.
Now, the sheriff’s department said investigators believe there may be more victims.
“Based on the nature of the allegations, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims,” the department said on Facebook.
“Detectives are seeking the public’s help in identifying any such victims.”
Mr Sarabia has ben charged with felony counts of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation.
He is currently being held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles and will appear in court on 27 June.
The Independent has contacted the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for further comment.
Angeles National Forest, located in the state’s San Gabriel Mountains and Sierra Pelona Mountains, previously made national news back in 2021 after a hiker went missing for five days.
George Null, 58, was rescued in a remote area of the forest, which spans more than 1,000 square miles — or half the size of the state of Delaware.
