The man wanted for allegedly groping women in multiple South Florida parks has been taken into custody. NBC 6’s Marissa Bagg reports.
The man wanted for allegedly groping women in multiple South Florida parks has been taken into custody.
He has been identified as 26-year-old Ricardo Ruiz of Hollywood.
According to the Davie Police Department, Ruiz confessed to the allegations of incidents that occurred at Vista View Park in Davie, Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City and a similar incident in Hollywood.
"Very surprised. I've known him since he was young, but no one knows what is going on in another house," said Lissette Barios, Ruiz's neighbor.
In the Vista View Park incident, police said Ruiz groped a woman's buttocks and she ran away but was pursued by Ruiz. They said he caught up to her and started groping the woman's genital area and buttocks again. The woman screamed and Ruiz fled the scene.
Authorities said the arrest was a joint effort with assistance from the Broward Sheriff's Office and Hollywood Police.
Davie Police said leads poured in when they released a sketch of the suspect last week. But it was a sharp-thinking BSO detective conducting burglary surveillance Monday, who caught onto Ruiz by recognizing his car.
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"It was a silver Nissan. There was some distinct characteristics, a dent on the hood and faded paint. That's what drew the detective's attention to spot the vehicle," said Sgt. Mark Leone with Davie Police.
Court documents show Ruiz has prior offenses in Broward County. In 2011, he was charged with possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and drug paraphernalia. In 2014, he faced charges of criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damages and possession of cannabis.
