By Khalida Sarwari
A 69-year-old Santa Cruz woman is recovering from injuries she suffered when a man wearing a ski masked entered her home and sexually assaulted her Wednesday morning, according to police.
Officers responded to a report of a sexual assault around 7:15 a.m. in the 100 block of West Cliff Drive.
They learned that between 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m., a man wearing dark clothing and a ski mask entered the woman’s home through an unlocked door and then bound, gagged and sexually assaulted her, causing injuries to her face.
Police said once the man left, the victim freed herself and then drove to a friend’s house to seek help.
She was taken to a hospital to be treated for facial injuries. Police said she is in stable condition.
According to police, no weapon was seen during the attack.
The suspect is a white male between 20 to 30-years-old. He is around 5 feet 9 inches tall with a medium build. Police did not know which direction the suspect fled.
Police are increasing patrols in the area and coordinating with the Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women to distribute alert posters to residents in the area.
Specialists from the state Department of Justice are working with police detectives to investigate the attack. Anyone with information is asked to call the investigations section of the Police Department at (831) 420-5820. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the tip line at (831) 420-5995.