Man arrested for sexually assaulting teen as she walked home in Visalia, police say

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man suspected of sexually assaulting a teenage girl was arrested in Visalia on Wednesday.

The assault happened just after 8:45 a.m. in the area of Giddings Street and Wren Avenue.

Police say the girl was walking home when a man began following her and attacked her.

She was able to fight him off and he ran.

The community flooded the comment section of a Facebook post from the Visalia Police Department, quickly identifying the man as 20-year-old Ulises Lupian.

Less than three hours later, the police department shared a photo of Lupian in handcuffs, crediting the community.

The fast response from locals and police wasn't surprising to the people we spoke with, but it did provide some comfort.

"It makes us feel a little bit reassured that we can count on them if something like that were to happen for us," said Visalia residents Maria and Girardo.

Lupian was booked on charges of oral copulation with a minor and lewd acts with a minor by force, which is a felony crime.

He is being held on a $500,000 bail.

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