Suspect arrested in attacks on two women

Jen Lawson

Tuesday, July 22, 2003 | 11:21 a.m.

A 23-year-old man has been charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a female bicyclist and a female jogger in southwest Las Vegas in two attacks that took place less than 30 minutes apart shortly after daybreak Sunday morning.

Metro Police arrested William Whitehead at his home near Charleston Boulevard and Buffalo Drive about five hours after the attacks, Sgt. Chris Darcy of Metro's sexual assault unit said.

The attacks were bold; motorists and residents reported seeing them and hearing the women's screams.

"It's very unusual," Darcy said, adding that the attacks were "ill-conceived."

The first incident was reported about 6:30 a.m. A woman was riding a bicycle westbound in the 9600 block of Spring Mountain Road in Spring Valley when a silver Hyundai hit her from behind and knocked her down, according to an arrest report obtained by the Sun.

Under the guise of helping her, Whitehead allegedly lifted her off the ground.

"Whitehead put (the victim) inside the trunk and attempted to shut the trunk door," the report says. "Whitehead began striking her hard in the head with his fist."

He allegedly fondled her, and she "was able to battle her way out of the trunk and fell to the ground." Whitehead allegedly fondled her again as the victim continued to fight him, the report says.

She got away and ran to a nearby house to call police.

About 6:45 a.m., police received numerous calls about a similar attack less than two miles away from the first one.

Whitehead allegedly spotted a woman jogging in The Lakes area of Las Vegas, near Durango Drive and Desert Inn Road, and stopped his car, almost hitting her, the report says.

"He pulled up, popped his trunk and ordered her to stop running," Darcy said.

She didn't, and Whitehead allegedly chased her and quickly caught her.

Darcy said Whitehead dragged her to his car while he ripped at her jogging clothes and attempted to put her in the trunk. He allegedly groped her during the struggle while saying lewd things, the report says.

The victim managed to get away and she ran toward a house. Whitehead allegedly got back into the car and chased her. He caught up with her in the front yard of a nearby house on Mediterranean Drive and tackled her, the report says.

The commotion caught the attention of people living in the area, who started coming out of their homes. Realizing that people were watching, the suspect reportedly jumped in his car and drove off.

Numerous people called 911 to report the attack, Darcy said.

One person gave police the license plate number of the car, and officers traced it to Whitehead's girlfriend. Officers found Whitehead at the apartment the couple share about 11 a.m. She gave police consent to search her car, and they found a blanked with a blood smear on it.

When questioned by police, Whitehead initially said he knew nothing about the crimes and thought police were arresting him on a traffic warrant.

He later agreed to give a taped statement and said he didn't hit the first victim on purpose. He also said "he did try and put her in the trunk and that she put up a good fight," the report says. "In fact, he then said both women put up a good fight."

Whitehead admitted to fondling and groping the women, according to the report, but he said he doesn't know why he did it.

"He said he was sorry for what he did and that he does not think he would have raped the women," the report says. "He said he did not have any specific plan as to what he was going to do to them."

Whitehead was charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of kidnapping, battery with a deadly weapon and battery with intent to commit sexual assault.

"It was one of those calls that worked out well," Darcy said. "A lot of times we don't get those kinds of breaks, where citizens take the time to get involved."

Both women received medical treatment, but neither was seriously injured.

Whitehead has a prior arrest for a misdemeanor drug offense. He is not a registered sex offender, police said.

Sexual assaults by complete strangers don't happen often, Darcy said.

Most of the sexual assaults reported to Metro involve suspects who are connected in some way to the victim -- an acquaintance, friend of a friend or a family member, for example, Darcy said.

Between June 12 and July 9, Metro's records show 62 sexual assaults were reported. Of those, 12 were committed by assailants who had little or no prior connection to the victim.

"We do have suspects who abduct people, but that's the exception rather than the rule," he said.