Homeless California parolee dragged female jogger by ponytail on beach in attempted sexual assault: police

A homeless man allegedly dragged a female jogger near Los Angeles by her ponytail and tried to sexually assault her, police said Thursday.

A homeless man on parole for an assault conviction dragged a jogger by her hair on a beach near Los Angeles before attempting to rape her earlier this week, police said. 

The alleged incident occurred at around 7:15 a.m. on the Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica. Witnesses told a 911 dispatcher that a woman, who lives in nearby Venice Beach, was being dragged on the ground by her ponytail.

She was jogging southbound on the beach path when the suspect grabbed her ponytail from behind, knocking her to the ground, authorities said. 

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Responding officers found the woman and the suspect, identified as Malcolm Jimmy Ward, Jr., 48, near some restrooms, the Santa Monica Police Department said. Several witnesses intervened in the attack, police said. 

The woman wasn't injured. At the time, Ward was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. 

Investigators believe Ward was trying to sexually assault the woman. He has been charged with kidnapping, assault with intent to commit rape and violating his parole. 

He is being held with no bail.

The alleged crime mirrors an incident in New York City where a man was caught on surveillance cameras throwing a looped belt around a woman's neck before choking her unconscious and dragging her away on a dark Bronx street. 

Police arrested 39-year-old Kashaan Parks over the weekend for allegedly attacking the 45-year-old victim.