Santa Rosa police arrest man suspected of making advances toward teen girl

Santa police arrested a 48-year-old man suspected of accosting a 14-year-old girl Monday after three women and two City Bus drivers reported their encounters with the suspect's boorish behavior, a police sergeant said.

The suspect, identified as Arthur M. Terrazas of Santa Rosa, made persistent verbal and sexually explicit advances to a girl at a bus stop in Bennett Valley around 7:30 p.m. The teen ran from the bus stop and reported the incident to police.

The suspect was described as a white, bald man in his 30s or 40s with a goatee, beard and medium build.

Later Monday, three women reported the same type of behavior by a man that fit that description, police Sgt. Terry Anderson said. The Santa Rosa Transit Department also informed police a person was asked to leave two CityBuses around 7:30 a.m. Monday, Anderson said.

A citizen who read about the incident involving the teen identified Terrazas as a possible suspect, Anderson said. Several other people also implicated Terrazas and he was arrested at his Santa Rosa home without incident Thursday, Anderson said.

Terrazas was bald and wore a mustache and goatee at the time of his arrest, Anderson said. He was booked under $50,000 bail in the Sonoma County Jail for contacting a minor with intent to commit an offense and arranging to meet with a minor. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court.

Police are not releasing his photo to ensure any further information remains untainted, Anderson said. Anyone who knows a minor who has had a similar encounter involving sexually explicit behavior by a man resembling Terrazas is asked to call (707) 543-4040.