South Pasadena

Arrest in Series of Sex Assaults, Burglaries in South Pasadena

After a manhunt in South Pasadena in connection with a series of sexual assaults and home burglaries that began in the morning, police said a man was arrested Wednesday afternoon.

The suspect has been identified by police as 22-year-old Michael David Brownlee who resides in Los Angeles, according to South Pasadena police. 

Three sexual assaults and five home burglaries began about 7:40 a.m. on the south side of the city, the South Pasadena Police Department said.

A girl was walking to South Pasadena High School in the 1400 block of Diamond Avenue when a man came up to her acting aggressively and allegedly assaulted her, Captain Brian Solinsky said at a news conference. 

After the first assault, he stayed in the area and allegedly assaulted another girl who was walking to school, Solinsky said.

The man took off and then approached a woman who was alone in the 1500 block of Rollin Street, which is a block away from the high school. He was accused pf exposing himself to the woman, Solinsky said. 

Police responded to the area and put South Pasadena High School on lock down.

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As police investigated the series of assaults, home burglary calls came in to the police department.

A man awoke in his home in the 1200 block of Lyndon Street to find the man allegedly armed with a knife demanding cash, but by the time police arrived, the man had fled.

Police located the man nearby, and when they tried to question him he jumped into a car and attempted to flee, Solinsky said. 

He was stopped near Olympic Boulevard and Soto Street in Los Angeles, and after an investigation, police discovered his car was stolen, Solinsky said. The car was full of items linking the man to the burglaries and assaults in the South Pasadena area, police said.

South Pasadena Middle schools, which were holding summer session, were also put on lock down out of an abundance of caution, police said. The lock down was lifted just before 11 a.m. The school district said Marengo Elementary School had also been locked down.

Police believe the man acted alone by climbing into windows of homes he allegedly  burglarized. Solinsky said the man was on parole for a burglary charge from 2013. 

He was booked on suspicion of robbery, residential burglary, motor vehicle theft, indecent exposure, and annoying or molesting a minor.

The three assault victims are OK, police said.

Anyone with information on the crimes was asked to call South Pasadena police at 626-403-7297.

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