A man is facing multiple charges after the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office says he entered homes in Cambria over the weekend and tried to sexually assault a woman.
The sheriff’s office says they received a report Sunday regarding the attempted assault on the 2400 block of Wilcombe Road in Cambria.
The victim reportedly told deputies she was in her home when she found a man standing in her living room. The suspect, identified as John Michael Ludwick, 29, of Cambria, grabbed the woman “and made a sexually explicit statement,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities say the woman was able to escape to a neighbor’s house.
“Through the investigation, deputies discovered Ludwick had entered the victim's home earlier that day, stole her credit card and took her vehicle. Ludwick then returned the vehicle and the credit card when he encountered the victim and attempted to sexually assault her,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Authorities say it was also determined that Ludwick had entered a different home on the 2400 block of Banbury Road the day before. While no one was home at the time, they say the residents returned home and confronted him, but did not report the incident because they did not think Ludwick was a threat.
The sheriff’s office says the suspect then returned to the same home around 11:30 a.m. Sunday where the residents told him he needed to leave.
Ludwick was taken into custody and booked shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday on multiple charges including assault, burglary, driving a car without consent and receiving stolen property, according to jail logs.
As of Monday afternoon, Ludwick remained in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.
The sheriff’s office is asking people in the town to check surveillance footage from Saturday and Sunday and report any other incidents that may involve the suspect.
Reports can be made to the sheriff’s detective division at (805) 781-4500. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP or online at slotips.org.
