Costa Mesa police searching for man who recorded himself pepper spraying 2 women
Costa Mesa police are searching for 25-year-old Johnny Young who recorded himself pepper spraying two women outside of a nightclub at the Triangle Square retail center.
"His contact with the females are vulgar and explicit, uses explicit language, obviously provoking a confrontation," Lt. Ed Everrett, with the Costa Mesa Police Department said. "He's asking women to show them their body parts. He asks if they'd like have intercourse. He asks them to be descriptive. For a number of people, that's very offensive."
The offensive language and suggestions is when detectives said the confrontations with women escalate and he pulls out the pepper spray.
Separate video, also taken in Costa Mesa, shows Young harassing another woman in a parking garage. Using in appropriate language, he propositions the woman while following her.
The Orange County District Attorney's Office has filed hate crime charges against Young for targeting women, as well as assault with a deadly weapon and use of pepper spray.
"It's very dangerous, especially when you use a chemical agent to incapacitate somebody," Lt. Everrett said.
Investigators said the 25-year-old, who is originally from Las Vegas, may be living in his distinctive green and white Chevy van that he refers to as his "rape van." The vehicle has no license plates on it.
Police said Young may also be traveling in the van the San Diego or Las Vegas area. Officials added that if anyone sees the van in the Orange County, the should contact the Costa Mesa Police Department.
