SJPD arrest man for alleged sexual battery, pulling 15-year-old girl into car

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose police say a man is in custody on suspicion of sexual battery after allegedly targeting a 15-year-old high school student as she walked to school.

Police say the incident happened early Wednesday morning. Authorities did not disclose which high school the girl attends or where in San Jose the incident occurred.

According to police, the teenager was approached by a man who pulled her into his vehicle and sexually battered her. The legal term for sexual battery means unwanted touching of someone's intimate body parts.

The girl reported the incident to school officials.

Investigators said they used license plate reader data and a police helicopter to locate the suspect’s vehicle and arrest the man.

The city of San Jose finished installing its network of 500 license plate reader cameras across the city late last year. 

But San Jose and many Bay Area cities have faced questions in recent months about whether the data they collet from those cameras may end up being accessed by federal law enforcement for immigration purposes. 

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan responded to the police department’s social media post about the arrest, expressing sympathy for the girl and gratitude to officers and the city’s license plate reader technology. 

In part, Mahan said, "San Jose will continue to invest in tools that help keep our children safe and ensure accountability for violent crimes."

San Jose police have not yet spoken publicly about the incident or responded to KTVU's inquiries for more information.