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A man who was sought for a brazen daytime sexual assault in the California Avenue pedestrian undercrossing in Palo Alto on Sunday, April 9, has been arrested, police said.
The man, identified as 34-year-old Daniel Widyanto Condronimpuno of Palm Beach, Florida, was taken into custody on Tuesday, April 11, with help from law enforcement at the University of California, Berkeley, Palo Alto police said in a press release. An earlier police press release incorrectly stated he lived in San Francisco.
The arrestee may have ties to Stanford University Graduate School of Business. A man by the name of Daniel Condronimpuno attended Princeton University and graduated in June 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering in operations research and financial engineering, according to multiple online publications associated with the university. He was the founder of the publication The Princeton Financier, and a photo in the publication shows a man similar in appearance to the police sketch of the California Avenue assault suspect.
A LinkedIn profile under the name Daniel Prince — and also showing a photo of a man matching the police sketch of the suspect — lists the same bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in finance from Princeton as Condronimpuno. The profile states he was part of an executive program on leadership and corporate innovation at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. A Stanford spokesperson could not immediately be reached Tuesday night to confirm if Condronimpuno attended the school.
The LinkedIn profile also lists positions at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and states that he worked with larger global firms, such as Renaissance Technologies and Alibaba Group, as well as a startup hedge fund Global Capital Econometrix, among others.
While neither the Palo Alto nor UC Berkeley police have directly stated it, Condronimpuno may be the same man that UC Berkeley police arrested Tuesday in connection with five sexual assaults and batteries, including a robbery, against women on campus in a seven-day period, according to an April 11 news report by Berkeleyside. UC Berkeley police withheld the arrestee’s name in a community advisory issued Tuesday.
Sunday’s assault in Palo Alto
After the California Avenue attack, a passerby reported to police at 2:49 p.m. Sunday discovering an injured woman in the California Avenue pedestrian underpass, where she said she had just been sexually assaulted.
The woman, who is in her 50s, was walking her bicycle east in the tunnel when a man who also had a bicycle passed her in the opposite direction, she told police. The man allegedly struck her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground, and then sexually assaulted her.
The woman shouted for help and the man stole her cellphone before he fled the scene, she told police. Responding officers found the cellphone in the 3000 block of Emerson Street.
The woman suffered moderate injuries, including lacerations to the back of her head and bruises on her neck. She was taken to a hospital, where she received treatment and a sexual assault forensic exam, police said.
The man was described as Asian and between 30 and 40 years old. He had a stocky build and was clean-shaven. He wore a dark bike helmet, dark sunglasses and a high-visibility yellow top. Police released a suspect sketch on Monday, April 10.
Investigators shared information about the alleged assault with other Bay Area law enforcement agencies.
Police make the arrest
On Tuesday morning, detectives spoke with investigators from the UC Berkeley Police Department, who said they had a possible suspect under observation. Later that day around 12:40 p.m., UCPD officers arrested the man on campus at Memorial Glade. Palo Alto officers assigned to the case went to Berkeley and conducted an additional follow-up investigation.
The investigators arrested and booked Condronimpuno into Santa Clara County jail for multiple felonies: attempted rape by force, sexual penetration by force, assault with intent to commit rape, forcible sexual battery, false imprisonment, felony battery, assault with a deadly weapon and robbery, in addition to a misdemeanor of preventing someone from summoning help with a wireless communication device. Online court records show he’s in custody on $1 million.
The Palo Alto Police Department temporarily withheld the release of Condronimpuno’s photo until Thursday, April 13. Other law enforcement agencies had active investigations involving the same individual and the premature release of his photo could’ve hampered the investigation of their cases, according to the press release.
“Police would like to thank the many community members in Palo Alto and beyond who assisted our investigation by providing information in the aftermath of this assault and who shared information about the crime to help get the word out. Police would also like to thank members of the media who covered this incident and helped to widely distribute the sketch of the suspect,” they said.
Anyone with information about the reported sexual assault is asked to call Palo Alto Police Department’s 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent by text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984.
Simple search seems to suggest the suspect is a Princeton graduate?
Thank you, Sue, for covering our town and getting the word out! And thank you to the PAPD, for pursuing leads, collaborating with other PDs and quickly getting this particular predator off the streets. Note to the City of Palo Alto: this tunnel is not only ADA non-compliant but needs to be made wider so that bicyclists may ride through safely in two directions, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities can be safely accommodated at the same time. Hmmm… Now would also be a great time to add this long-postponed project to the discussions about the future of Cal Ave!
Great police work! That was so scary, happening in daytime. I hope the woman who was attacked is okay and is receiving help.
WOW, I am so impressed with the quick and collaborative work by both Palo Alto and UC Berkley police departments. Thank you for this quick response! This perp is a dangerous and sick individual who is now off the streets!
But they still need cameras on the tunnel and similar areas. Just common sense.
Would love to see this tunnel get some attention. I use it daily and over the years there have been multiple attacks in the tunnel or nearby. But opening it up so bikes can whiz on through? No thanks. Walk your bikes please! There are lots of us older people using the tunnel and we don’t stand a chance against speeding bikes. Neither do the bicyclists – last week a young person came careening down and crashed at the bottom. Palo Alto Police – many thanks and deep appreciation. This is wonderful news to have him in custody and I hope the assaulted women are okay and healing.
Ditto to everything “Old PA Resident” wrote above.
I have hesitated using the tunnel
in recent years due to bikes.
Kudos to the woman who is the victim for her detailed description of her attacker. The sketch of this viscious man expedited his being located and arrested.
I applaud the police for their quick action in getting this disturbed and violent person off the streets.
I do agree that cyclists need to WALK their bikes on the avenue as well as in the tunnel.
The city of Palo Alto must install cameras in the tunnel. They could serve as a deterrent. They will capture criminal activity and help in finding bad actors who commit crimes.
Just before this incident, I made a contribution to PAPD online. I now look forward to receiving my PAPD supporter sticker so I can put it on my bike and wear it proudly! Thank you for your excellent work!
I’ve dragged luggage many times through that tunnel for train trips to airports. The steep grade there now is severally outmoded not just for bikes but for those with luggage on rollers. Yes, cameras and separate pedestrian and bike lanes are good but so too would be wider tunnel entrances to reduce the square footage of “attractive” private space for criminals. How about some wide open sunken gardens or perhaps play structures on either end of the tunnel? Palo Alto has been noodling for years about building a City gym. Why not under the train tracks at California Avenue?
Thanks to all law enforcement agencies and personnel who acted swiftly to stop this sexual predator from assaulting more women.
I don’t care if he holds ten degrees from Princeton; that makes NO difference. Prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.
Public safety is one of the top responsibilities of our elected and appointed officials – and key ones such as state governor, state senator, state assemblymember, some district attorneys are not expressing much interest and action in CA in recent years with respect to this.
I’m tired of laws, policies, directives to police that favor criminals.
Look at SF’s belated weak light proposal this week from a city supervisor to hire more police officers (yes, there aren’t enough but this isn’t the main problem) in wake of ongoing terrible nationally publicized crime there: it’s been a problem for years with millions of taxpayer dollars thrown at homeless (attracting many more), drug, property crime, violent crime but politicians’ own laws and policies inhibit meaningful improvements and prosecutions.
Like many sensible people and companies I avoid SF.
Absolutely amazing to see the clownish “defund” narrative come crashing down within three years. Hopefully, people have learned something. Likely not.
This is obviously good work by both PDs. Interesting to see that he has been in both the vicinity of Cal and Stanford. Could he have just come off Caltrain, or did he ride his bike between the two?
I am very pleased he was caught, but still think the rest of the story could be alarming.
Curious to learn eventually if cellphone location records and/or area security camera footage helped identify the attacker. I definitely add my thanks to PA and UC police for their quick and effective work on this!
fortunate this woman, a senior in her mid 5o’s was not critically hurt. inform me how a camera will prevent crime over & above mirrors which will, in real time, empower pass through traffic agency 2 see behind & ahead, Which city paid dep will monitor these cameras 24/7? 911 dispatchers cannot leave their monitors 2 help. Melissa McCarthy is not the star of this moving target. delayed EMT response 2 the site! Google Maps deems this boundary as South Cal Ave. How does a East coordinate become a south a direction? Google maps says South. Yet. Clearly Google Maps is WRONG! Many top notch cyclists pass thru the tunnel on their saddles because 1) un clipping their $500 bike shoes is time consuming, 2)!can’t balance
3) dismounting their $10,000 bikes is inconvenient. So “they” & “their bikes”wiz by nannies, infants, strollers, kids, doggies, toddlers, elderly using needed walkers,. I have three words. Mirrors, mirrors, mirrors. Less costly than a city of Palo Alto help wanted” on CL Bay Area. Reality. PA is under a massive live/work/salary/housing imbalance
lift. Shikada apparently is not in need of 1001 staff to monitor. He already stated, he’s under duress directing his 1000 current employees. Though he’s earning 500K salary 2 do such. The tunnel is outdated, inadequate, unsafe, & unsavory. Like the Mayfield/ECR under pass, I suggest shutting the tunnel down. So?! walk or ride to Churchill or East Meadow. At least we are safe & it’s all out on the surface & in the open. The tiny frame of a streaming camera is not the solution. Tired of being surveilled in this town! crime is getting worse & already 6-10 cameras on intersection poles. As if!!! I run to the shelter of my abode where I, my children r not surveilled, filmed, counted yet not socially / economically served. Russia post WWII surveilled their citizens from the interiors of their homes. In Calif surveillance of citizens/residents outside our homes is primary & does not serve as safety on our streets.
Good work by the police! An aside: What’s with the headline “…may be a Princeton alum.” Who the heck cares?
Senior in mid 50s?
Stop with the descriptions of people in the prime of life. It is insulting to call someone in their 50s a senior, or elderly.
What is the difference between rape and sexual assault?
“Senior in mid 50s?”
@Bystander: The minimum enrollment age for AARP is 50.
For some individuals (depending on lifestyle and/or family genetics), 50 years of age is a median life expectancy.
We should all strive to age gracefully and to hopefully acquire a lifetime of wisdom.
Otherwise we are wasting our time on Earth.
Walk in peace and good health even though 70 will never be the new 50.
Just ask Ponce de Leon.
Under the photo, the caption says “arrested in connection with a sexual assault in Palo Alto that took place on April 9, 2023. Courtesy Palo Alto Police Department”. Was the assault a courtesy by PAPD, or is the word “PHOTO” missing? Yes I am sure it is. And the Princeton angle seems relevant as to motive … does Princeton have classes that teach how to prey upon females in University settings? Or is it just that rape culture is a problem at ALL universities? I mean, come on, he’s not just hanging out at Montessori Day Care centers. That’s not his thing. His thing seems to be honed, and University-specific and I wonder once his photo is exposed and shared at Universities across the country, how many other victims might recognize him?
What is interesting to me is the victim “in her mid 50’s” like me was walking her bike. Like the sight says. Though 90% don’t, including my school age chills. She was as @myfeelz states “sexually assaulted” by another walking their bike in the opposite direction. This was Easter Sunday and a time any of our 55% school age children pass through. I detest this tunnel and encourage my kids to scurry thru on their wheels rather than dismount and walk. Yet this is not NYC Central Park. Our city hall’s civic duty per tax payer Persian is sorely lacking. It appears the city coffers are primarily set up to serve their full time, Union pensioned, benefited employees rather than serving the tax paying residents who pay for their positions. Hard rain is a falling and it is so very light on those being paid to serve. Dereliction of duty. Pay the city un-benefited, minimum wages, temporary. I guarantee we’d get the same result. Or better pay the city per result. Like most other hourly earners get in our city. Someone here once said: City of PA is marching toward insolvency. Is insolvency here, like climate change? Vallejo, Stockton, NYC, Detroit are just a few cities which bankrupted. Right now PA is socially, ethically, communally, labor’ly, spiritually bankrupted. What next? Monkeys flying from our taxed behinds? Get real, get with it, get it together PA! Does not history show you so?