A man wanted for an hours-long sexual assault of a minor in Culver City was arrested Thursday on the 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita.

On Dec. 2, around 7:45 a.m. Culver City Police responded to a call for service of a sexual assault of a 12-year-old in the Blair Hills community of Culver City, officials said. 

“Investigators learned that earlier that morning, between 2:00-3:00 a.m., an adult male suspect entered a residence and committed a sexual assault on a juvenile, and then left the residence on foot at approximately 7 a.m.,” Culver City Police said. “Culver City Police officers immediately canvassed the surrounding area for witnesses and additional evidence and recovered video evidence that (showed) the suspect leaving the area.” 

Through investigation, the suspect was identified as 35-year-old Marcos Maldonado. 

Detectives learned Maldonado was living in a hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, Jennifer Atenza, spokesperson for the Culver City Police Department told KHTS. 

On Thursday, detectives were alerted that the man they were looking for boarded a bus and was headed north to Bakersfield. 

“Our investigators were alerted he was on the move and left a Downtown Los Angeles hotel, and were able to identify what bus he was on,” Atenza said. 

Culver City detectives located the bus Maldonado was riding on the 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita, Atenza said. 

Maldonado was located and taken into custody by law enforcement without incident. 

Maldonado was booked into the Culver City Police Department’s jail and is being held on $1.25 million bail, Atenza said.     

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