18-year-old arrested in string of Irvine sexual-battery cases

IRVINE – An 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of a string of sexual-battery cases in Irvine that began in December, police said Wednesday.
Keenan Al-Sayed Ahmad, 18, a student at Northwood High School, was arrested Friday after a battery incident on the Jeffrey Open Space Trail, said Kim Mohr, a police spokeswoman.
Police allege that Ahmad, while on a skateboard, approached a jogger on the trail and grabbed her buttocks. The victim called Irvine police, and officers were able to locate Ahmad based on a description. He was arrested and released on bond.
Police accused Ahmad of two other crimes as well.
On Dec. 17, a female jogger reported being groped by a man riding past her on a skateboard at Groveland and Townsend. The next day, a woman jogging at Rolling Green and Statuary told police she was shoved to the ground by a man who approached her on a skateboard and covered her mouth to try and prevent her from screaming, Mohr said.
Unable to stop her screams, Mohr said, the suspect touched the victim in a sexual manner before fleeing.
Police plan to seek felony assault with intent to commit rape and sexual battery charges against Ahmad, Mohr said.
Irvine Unified School District officials said in a statement Wednesday that no students had been harmed: “The safety and well-being of our students continues to be Northwood High School’s and the district’s top priority.”
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Irvine police Detective Keith Herter at 949-724-7183 or at kherter@cityofirvine.org.
Source: Oc Register