Investigators Identify Man Suspected Of Attacking Woman Outside Grass Valley Church
GRASS VALLEY (CBS13) - Police have identified the man they believe carried out a brutal attack and carjacking on a female church volunteer outside of a Grass Valley church over the weekend.
Medics were called to Chapel Street just before 7:30 a.m. Sunday to treat 78-year-old Mary Grace Tassone, a longtime volunteer at the church, who had suffered trauma to her head.
Tassone was airlifted to Sutter Roseville Medical Center where she underwent surgery.
RELATED: Church Volunteer, 78, Attacked And Carjacked Outside Grass Valley Parish
Police have issued an arrest warrant for 51-year-old Alan Kierkegaard. Witnesses tell police that Kierkegaaard, who also goes by the last name of Sorenson, had been hanging around the church for the past week and had seemed suspicious, according to a Grass Valley Police Department statement.
Investigators say they linked Kierkegaaard to the incident via clothing worn by a man seen on church video around the time of the attack and clothing patrol officers say Kierkegaaard was wearing when they made contact with him early Sunday morning at Condon Park in Grass Valley.
Police believe Kierkegaaard assaulted Tassone and stole her vehicle. His whereabouts are unknown.
"Right now the motive for what happened is not clear at all, and exactly what happened is still a bit of a mystery," said the woman's nephew Greg Tassone.
Tassone was listed in stable condition. Her vehicle is a gray four-door 2013 Honda Accord with the California license number 6ZHX462, similar to the one below.
Anyone with information about Kierkegaard's whereabouts is asked to call the Grass Valley Police Department and call 911.
