Raul Guitierrez Contreras, 28, was arrested Friday morning at his place of business in the industrial area of South San Francisco. The arrest occurred less than 24 hours after police released a sketch of a sexual assault suspect to the press.

On Thursday, South San Francisco police released information about an attempted rape that occurred Wednesday in the 200 block of Maple Street. The victim in that case fought back, cutting her attacker’s left eye. One of Contreras’ co-workers noticed a similar cut over Contreras’ left eye and told a relative, who in turn called the South San Francisco Police Department Friday morning. Police located Contreras at the auto body shop at which he worked on the 200 block of Maple Street. He was arrested on an outstanding DUI bench warrant, South San Francisco police Sgt. Joni Lee said at a press conference yesterday afternoon.

Police can’t be 100 percent certain, but investigators believe DNA evidence and witness statements will likely link Contreras to four other attempted rapes in the last year. They believe Contreras was responsible for a February 2006 rape in Colma, two attempted rapes in South San Francisco’s Orange Park in September and November, and a rape on South Linden Avenue in South San Francisco, also in November.

Contreras, a transient, was arrested on the scene on misdemeanor DUI stemming from a Sept. 22, 2006 arrest. Contreras failed to appear for arraignment Nov. 14 and a judge issued a $5,000 bench warrant, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Police expect to file additional charges today related to last week’s attempted rape.

At 6:38 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, a man smelling of alcohol and wearing surgical gloves followed a woman into her South Maple Avenue business. The man asked the woman to use her phone. When she questioned him, police say he grabbed her and a struggle ensued. During the fight, the man broke the woman’s cell phone and the woman struck her attacker with a metal object, cutting him above his left eye, Lee said.

The man then motioned for her to take her pants off. The woman briefly distracted the man by calmly talking to him before running into the bathroom, where she locked the door and called 911 on a second cell phone she was carrying, Lee said.

The auto body shop at which Contreras worked is in the same office complex where the woman was nearly raped last week. Auto body work often requires the use of latex gloves similar to the ones last week’s victim reported on her attacker, Lee said.

Police also recovered clothing, including a leather jacket, from Contreras that matched the description given by at least one of the victims, Lee said.

South San Francisco police expect to charge Contreras with burglary, assault and battery, vandalism related to breaking the cell phone, false imprisonment and attempted rape. More charges could be added if police determine Contreras is responsible for the other rapes. Results of the DNA analysis are expected to be available Friday. In the meantime, investigators will conduct photo line-ups with witnesses, Lee said.

Contreras’ booking photo is not public pending positive identification by witnesses, Lee said.

The description of the attacker matches accounts of earlier sexual assaults in the city.

On Sept. 17, at approximately 8 a.m., a woman was using the rest room near the Memorial Drive side of Orange Park when a man opened the front door of the rest room and crawled under the stall door to reach the victim. The woman resisted the man’s attempts to cover her mouth and to restrain her and made her way outside the rest room. Once outside, she called the police on her cell phone.

On Nov. 1, at approximately 5:45 a.m., a man matching the same description grabbed a woman from behind and forced her into some bushes along South Linden Avenue, between Dollar Avenue and San Mateo Avenue in an industrial area. He threatened to kill the woman as he sexually assaulted her.

On Nov. 3, at approximately 1:45 p.m., a man followed a 20-year-old woman as she was walking behind the tennis courts in Orange Park. The man tried to push the victim to the ground, however, the woman managed to run away. The suspect chased the victim for a short distance but fled when the victim started screaming for help, according to police.

Contreras is a transient with no known last address. He is also an illegal immigrant. Last week’s victim reports her attacker spoke English, but at the time of questioning Contreras claimed not to speak the language. When provided an interpreter, Contreras appeared to know what was being asked of him before translation, Lee said.

Contreras remains in jail and bail is set at $165,000. He will be arraigned on the misdemeanor DUI charge this afternoon. The additional sexual assault charges will likely be added at a later time.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.