They got him. Detectives from the 104th Precinct in Ridgewood arrested a 21-year-old man from the neighborhood wanted in a “sexually motivated assault” investigation.
Acting on a tip, the detectives tracked down Derek Sanchez in Manhattan. They brought him back to Ridgewood, where he was booked at the 104th Precinct for allegedly assaulting a 61-year-old woman in front of 60-73 Gates Ave., just around the corner from his apartment on Fresh Pond Road near Palmetto Street.
The victim was walking at the location at around 10:18 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5, when Sanchez got out of a black SUV, approached her from behind, and allegedly pushed his fingers into her mouth and pushed her to the ground, causing pain and swelling to her mouth, police said.
Sanchez got back into the SUV and drove away westbound on Gates Avenue. The victim was transported to Forest Hills Hospital in stable condition.
The attack is believed to be the fourth and final one of the same evening that saw three other women randomly assaulted as they walked through the neighborhood. The first victim was walking in front of 59-24 Gates Ave., about a block-and-a-half away from Sanchez’s apartment, at around 9:15 p.m. A second woman was assaulted just 11 minutes later in front of 60-32 Palmetto St., just a half block away from Sanchez’s apartment. A third woman was assaulted less than a half hour later near Rosemary’s Playground in front of 18-70 Madison St.
She was approached from behind, and her assailant punched her lower back. An NYPD spokeswoman confirmed that detectives are working to connect Sanchez to the three other assaults, but there was no additional information on the investigation as of Friday morning.
Sanchez was charged with assault and criminal obstruction of breathing, and his arraignment at Queens Criminal Court is pending.
