Greater Sudbury Police believe two serious incidents involving a lone male pepper spraying victims are related.
Around 11 pm Thursday, three pedestrians were walking on Laforest Street when they were confronted and pepper sprayed by an unknown male.
The man pulled up in a light-coloured medium-sized car, got out, approached the three people and without warning pepper-sprayed each one of them.
He got back in his car and drove away.
The incident was unprovoked as none of the three victims knew the suspect, say police.
Two of the victims were males, ages 24 and 34, and the third was a woman, age 42.
The suspect was described as caucasion, tall, 18 to 25 years of age and bald headed.
Several hours later around 3 am a very serious and unusual incident occurred, also involving a lone male using pepper spray.
The female victim told police she met a man on Elgin Street and agreed to get into his car.
Following a disagreement, the man physically assaulted her, robbed her of money and then used pepper spray.
She fled his vehicle and was running towards the corner of Durham and Beech when the suspect caught up to her and sexually assaulted her before being scared away by another vehicle approaching.
The victim was taken to hospital for treatment.
The suspect is described as a male ages 28 to 30, tall, with brown hair, short on the sides and spiked on top with a deep voice.
He was wearing a grey/green shirt and blue jeans.
Police believe the two incidents may be related.
Anyone with information is asked to phone police at 705-675-9171 or Sudbury Rainbow Crime Stoppers at 705-675-8477.
