Officer Disrupts Rape Attempt; Man Arrested

NORTH HOLLYWOOD — In what police called an “extremely rare” occurrence, a North Hollywood man was arrested early Wednesday, allegedly after an officer caught him in the act of raping a woman.

Robert F. Keith Jr., 33, was arrested about 1 a.m. after an officer found him assaulting the woman, a 50-year-old North Hollywood resident, near the Burbank Boulevard exit off the Hollywood Freeway, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

“It’s extremely rare for an officer to catch a rape in progress,” said Detective Jeff Dunn of the North Hollywood Division.

Sgt. David Storaker said he arrived at the scene shortly after a witness reported the assault. After losing Keith during a brief chase, Storaker called for a helicopter, which located him hiding under bushes in a nearby field, Storaker said.