San Jose: Police arrest man in sexual assault of girl walking home from school

Investigators had previously identified the 50-year-old San Jose resident as a suspect in the April 9 attack on South 11th Street beneath the I-280 overpass.

SAN JOSE — Police have arrested a man who allegedly grabbed then sexually assaulted a teen girl walking home from school near downtown San Jose last month, authorities said.

The arrest occurred May 16, two days after the San Jose Police Department issued an alert seeking public help with locating 50-year-old Julian Salvador Martinez in connection with the reported April 9 attack on South 11th Street beneath the Interstate 280 overpass.

Police on Tuesday credited the arrest to an unnamed community member who submitted a tip on Martinez after that public alert went out.

Martinez was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail where he is being held without bail on suspicion of sexual assault crimes; the district attorney’s office charged him on Monday.

According to police, the April 9 assault occurred around 5:25 p.m. when a girl walking north on South 11th Street was grabbed by a man alleged to be Martinez, who approached her while riding a bicycle.

Police allege Martinez sexually assaulted the girl and briefly restrained her before she broke free from his grasp, after which Martinez left the area on his bicycle.

Anyone with information about the April 9 assault report can contact SJPD Detective Tyrell Addy at 408-277-4102 or by email at 4738@sanjoseca.gov. Tips can also be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.