A harrowing tale unfolded on the BART Linear Park trail when a woman fell victim to a vicious sexual assault, but her resistance and the swift action of witnesses and authorities led to the prompt arrest of the assailant. The attack occurred on April 8 near Port Chicago Highway, and the suspect, fleeing the scene, was apprehended shortly after, thanks to the victim and a witness who courageously tracked him down.
The suspect, identified as Berkeley resident Larry Ridge Jr., 40, was nabbed by officers from the Concord and BART Police Departments at the nearby North Concord BART Station. Running toward the BART station, the victim and a witness did not falter. Their eyes were fixed on the suspect's retreating figure. They called the police, who quickly converged on the scene. Concord Police Department reported the successful detention of Ridge at the station.
Charges were filed against the 40-year-old the following day by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, who slapped him with several felony charges pertaining to the distressing assault. Ridge, whose murky past includes a murder conviction in 2005, is being held in custody, thrown back into the legal spotlight not currently on parole or probation.
The Concord Police Department asserts they've never crossed paths with Ridge before this incident. The department disclosed that Ridge remains incarcerated, awaiting the due process determining his fate.
