A man was in custody Friday after allegedly claiming to be an undercover police officer and forcibly raping a Torrance woman before leading authorities on a pursuit, according to the Torrance Police Department.
A rape was reported to Torrance police around 3:45 p.m. Thursday, a department press release stated.
Authorities began searching for 43-year-old Guy Dietz, a convicted sex offender, but were not immediately able to locate him.
California Highway Patrol officials located Dietz’s vehicle in King City about eight hours after officers initially responded. King City is in Monterey County, a four-hour drive from Torrance, according to Google maps.
Dietz led CHP and Monterey County Sheriff’s Department deputies on a pursuit into the city of Soledad (map), then ran out of his vehicle.
Torrance police officers and Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies worked together locate the 43-year-old man.
Dietz was in custody Friday, Torrance police Sgt. Paul Kranke said.
Details about his capture were not immediately available.
According to the Megan’s Law website of registered sex offenders in California, Dietz was convicted in 1998 of rape by force or fear. He was released in 2003.