Police investigating pair of attacks involving a knife on hiking trails

Police are investigating a pair of separate attacks on trails at St. Joseph’s Hill Open Space Preserve over the past month, potentially involving the same man described as assaulting trail users while threatening them with a knife.

The most recent assault was reported at about 5:10 p.m. Sunday, when a woman told police that she was on the Manzanita walking trail when a man approached her from behind and assaulted her, according to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.

She reported that the man was holding a knife and tried to restrain her, but that she broke away from his grasp and was able to get the attention of other people walking on the trail. The man then fled.

Police are also investigating an attack reported at about 6:15 p.m. Jan. 13, when a teen boy and girl who were on the Jones Trail say a man approached them and made threats while holding a knife, prompting the teens to flee.

Both sets of victims described their attacker as a Latino man about 5 feet 5 inches tall, 150 pounds, wearing all dark clothing and what might have been a bandanna covering his face, according to police. In the Sunday encounter, the victim reported that her attacker was wearing a dark-colored hiking backpack.

Police have not formally stated any suspicion that they are seeking the same person in both assaults, but said the idea of a single attacker is possible. The department added that it is consulting with other police agencies about whether anyone is being sought in any similar assaults elsewhere in the area.

Anyone with information about the reported trail attacks can contact the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department at 408-354-8600.