Charges Filed Against Man for Attacking Stranger Near Higgins Bridge

28-year-old William Sandel was arrested Tuesday night after allegedly attacking a woman in downtown Missoula.

"About 10:40, a report came in about a disturbance in the 100 block of North Higgins, near the Higgins Street Bridge," said Missoula Police Detective Sgt. Travis Welsh. "The report was that a male had attacked a female in that location. Officers discovered that the male had approached the woman from behind, pulled her down to the ground, and got on top of her."

Some Missoula citizens heard the woman screaming and came to her rescue.

"They managed to chase the male off, he ran down under the Higgins Street bridge," Welsh said. "Some of those witnesses actually chased after him and were able to point him out to responding officers and identify him as the male suspect. He was then taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault."

Sandel has lived in Idaho and another city in Montana, but it is unclear why he was in Missoula. The victim was 26-years-old and says she did not know Sandel.