Windsor police warn of minivan driver allegedly assaulting young women

Windsor police are warning the public about a man driving a minivan, who might be offering rides to young women and sexually assaulting them.

There have been two similar sexual assault complaints this month that police believe could be related.

Police say the victims in each of these cases involve young women who are in their late teens or early 20s. The victims were alone and offered a ride by a male suspect.

The suspect in each case is driving a minivan and had a similar description. He is described as an Arabic man in his 30s with a full head of dark hair and no facial hair. He spoke with an accent.

The most recent incident took place on Sunday at about 1:30 a.m. in the west end. The victim says she was walking in the area of Wyandotte Street West and Victoria Avenue when a man in a minivan pulled up to her on the street and offered her a ride.

Police say the suspect drove the victim to an unknown parking lot in the west end. The victim claims she tried to get out of the van, but the suspect kept the door shut. Police say he punched the victim in the face and sexually assaulted her. Afterwards, the victim got out of the van and called a friend who contacted police.

The first incident took place on Aug. 11, just after midnight in the 500 block of Goyeau Avenue.

A blue van pulled up and offered her a ride. The victim got in the front passenger seat of the van. Within seconds of being in the van, the victim says that the suspect driver began groping her breasts. The victim was screaming at him to stop the vehicle.

The van travelled eastbound on Wyandotte Street East and turned south on Parent Avenue. As the van slowed down, the victim managed to jump out of the vehicle. Witnesses in the area ran to help her.

She was not injured. The van sped away from the area.

Witnesses indicate that the van was a greyish silver colour and was older, possibly from the 90s. The plate started with an "s" and the numbers were close to "175".

If anyone has any information regarding these incidents please call police at (519)-255-6700 ex 4305 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (519)-258-TIPS (8477)