PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Authorities arrested a suspect who is thought to be involved in multiple violent attacks in Portland, including the sexual assault of a 65-year-old woman.
Sergio Jose Martinez, 31, was arrested Monday night and booked into Multnomah County Jail Tuesday afternoon.
Martinez was arrested in connection with a violent attack in the Sullivan’s Gulch neighborhood. Police responded to a disturbance in the 2100 block of NE Halsey Street involving a man and woman in the basement parking garage of a building.
Officers said Martinez was armed with a knife and assaulted a woman. When they arrived on scene, Martinez ran from police and led them on a foot chase through the neighborhood before capturing him in a neighborhood apartment.
Both the victim and Martinez were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Martinez was released from the hospital Tuesday and transported to jail.
Detectives also linked Martinez to an attack reported earlier Monday morning near Kerns neighborhood. Officers responded to a residence in the 1700 block of NE Irving Street on the report of a sexual assault.
A 65-year-old woman told police a stranger broke into her home, physically and sexually assaulted her and then stole her car.
Portland Police Sgt. Pete Simpson said, “Very unusual. Both of these incidents appear to be stranger incidents, no connection to the victim and incredibly violent.”
Martinez faces charges of multiple counts of 1st-degree robbery, 1st-degree kidnap, 2nd-degree assault, 1st-degree burglary, 1st-degree sodomy and 1st-degree sex abuse.
In the past year, he has faced charges in regards to drugs, trespassing, possession of a stolen vehicle and reckless endangerment.
Martinez is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.KOIN 6 News Reporter Amy Frazier contributed to this report.
