Surveillance video ties Tulare County Sheriff's Deputy to sex assault

TULARE COUNTY, Calif.

/*William Nulick*/, 42, is in jail, and on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation. ABC30 talked to witnesses who tell us they believe the deputy had been following the victim and even parked a specific way in the parking lot so he could go after her quickly.

One woman Action News spoke with did not want to be identified, but said she saw the deputy right before investigators say he sexually assaulted a woman that he pulled over.

Witness: "I saw him pull up he backed up into the parking lot, he waited a while and then he took off and I assumed he was following somebody because they don't usually do that."

She says because he backed up into the parking space, he was able to jet out quickly to follow the victim.

Nulick has worked for three years at the Tulare County Sheriff's Cutler-Orosi station as a patrol deputy. He is now in jail facing charges of kidnapping and sexual assault.

Investigators say last Friday he conducted a traffic stop on the woman, who didn't have a driver's license. He then told her she could get out of a fine, if she committed a sexual act with him. Deputies say he then forced her to a nearby location where he sexually assaulted her. Investigators were able to confirm the woman's story.

Tulare County Acting Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said, "We had video information in addition to our units have GPS tracking on them and a variety of other sources."

Witnesses say Nulick may have targeted his victim as she pulled into a market in the tiny, rural community of Monson.

The store owner confirmed to Action News that deputies seized their video surveillance system, which showed the woman parking and going into the store, and the deputy also parking in the parking lot.

Witness: "I knew he was following somebody because he waited real well and then he took off so it had to be somebody inside the store."

The Tulare County District Attorney's office is reviewing the case and if charges are filed, he will make his first court appearance Wednesday.

Copyright © 2024 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.