Police Nab Rape Suspect

Rape and attempted murder charges were filed against a man suspected of assaulting a woman during a pre-dawn run along Santa Monica Beach, the Santa Monica Police Department reported.

The suspect was arrested 5:30 a.m. Wednesday by the harbor patrol unit, near where the crime occurred.  

He was identified by the police as 36-year-old Brandon Cross of Chino.

On Wednesday, officers "patrolling the north beach area, observed a possible suspect in the general area of the crime," said police department spokesman Sgt. Richard Lewis. "The suspect was detained; after additional investigation, the suspect was arrested."

Cross was arraigned Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court on numerous felony charges, including one count of attempted murder, two counts of forcible rape, one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object, one count of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and resisting officers.

Bail was set at $1.35 million.

The woman was assaulted about 4:50 a.m. Oct. 10 while running between Lifeguard Tower 8 and the waterline. She eventually fought off the attacker and ran to safety. He walked away.

Police circulated a composite sketch of the man and launched an "exhaustive search," Lewis said.

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