[UPDATED:] Video Shows Creeper on Bus Touching Girl's Leg, Trying to Unzip Second Girl's Pants: Cops; More Teens Come Forward


UPDATE: Two more teenagers have come forward to allege the suspect toughed them inappropriately on a bus (see end of post) . . .

Surveillance video shows Herath Premaratnea getting on and off Orange County Transit Authority buses for four hours on Monday, mostly along routes 55 and 47.

]

But it's what else the video shows that led to the 55-year-old Los
Angeles resident's arrest on suspicion of sexual battery Thursday night.

A
16-year-old girl reported to Orange County Sheriff's deputies that she was riding a bus on Monday when a man sitting
next to her rubbed her leg and tried to unzip her pants.


Authorities confirmed the incident happened by looking at video captured by on-board surveillance cameras, which showed the girl reacted to the creeper by turning away and starting to cry, frozen in place.

The same video showed the man who touched her getting off the bus behind her that same day.

That led to a review of more
security video–and the discovery of a second, unreported incident that same morning involving the same man. This time he snuggled up to a different girl riding the bus to the school and rubbed her leg. She responded by hitting him with her elbow.

A tip led to the spot where deputies could find their suspect: Premaratnea was arrested Thursday night in Costa Mesa–getting off a bus.

If you saw or experienced anything on the bus or have any other information that can help deputies with the investigation, call 1.866.TIP.OCSD.


UPDATE: Following newscasts about Premaratnea's arrest in Orange County, a 19-year-old and a minor in Los Angeles County came forward with similar allegations against him. The older teen was victimized on a Long Beach bus in late June, and the minor was targeted in the LA area in October, according to authorities. Currently behind bars, Premaratnea has a court date in Santa Ana on Monday. 

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