Woman sexually assaulted on Ventura County bus: VCSO

An Oxnard man was arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on a public transit bus in Ventura County.

The 37-year-old woman from Ventura was riding the bus from Camarillo to Ventura on Friday when she was assaulted, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Miguel Angel Salgado Rodriguez, a 49-year-old man from Oxnard, was identified as the suspected assailant, and deputies spotted him at a bus stop in the 2700 block of Johnson Drive in Ventura on Sunday, authorities said.

“During the initial contact with Rodriguez, he delayed the investigations by refusing to stop at the direction of the deputies,” the release said. “Rodriguez was arrested for the sexual assault on the bus and resisting and delaying an investigation. A search of Rodriguez’ person and property revealed evidence linking him to the sexual assault days prior.”

Rodriguez faces a felony charge of sexual penetration with force and a misdemeanor charge of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.

He’s being held at the Ventura County Main Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, and he’s due to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on Tuesday.

Investigators “suspect Rodriguez may have assaulted other people while on the bus or in and around bus stops” around Ventura County, and anyone with information is asked to call deputies at 805-654-9511.

Alternatively, you can text 911 to “communicate with a Ventura County dispatch center and give real time information in silence,” the VCSO said.

“Though this was not utilized during the above incident, it serves as a reminder of the availability of this useful feature,” the release added.