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A 29-year old employee of the Hotel Durant was stabbed repeatedly with a butcher’s knife in the hotel parking lot Wednesday by a co-worker who had an unrequited attraction to the victim, according to the Berkeley Police Department. 

Sara Rodriquez suffered multiple stab wounds to her shoulders, back and neck at the hands of her attacker, but was fit to leave the hospital Thursday. 

Police allege that the suspect, Benito Meza-Ortega, 26, from Oakland, confronted the victim about 4:50 p.m. in the parking lot at 2600 Durant St., and without warning began stabbing her in the head and upper body. 

A hotel employee tried to stop the attack but was also assaulted by the suspect.  

With the suspect’s attention diverted, the victim tried to retreat to her car, but the suspect stopped her and continued his assault, police said. 

Police were called to the hotel at 4:53 p.m. When they arrived three minutes later the suspect had already fled. 

In a slightly different report of what happened, the hotel’s general manager, Jay Slattery, said Rodriguez was already in her car with her window down when she was attacked. 

Ryan Brown, the hotel assistant manager, saw the assault and pulled Ortega away from the car, Slattery said. Ortega was able to break free from Brown, then stabbed Rodriguez again before Brown forced Ortega to flee on foot. 

“Ryan pulled the assailant away from Sara and saved her life,” Slattery said. 

Berkeley and Oakland police pursued Ortega for hours after the attack, Berkeley police said. At about 6:30 p.m. Ortega was spotted near his Oakland home at 47th and Dover streets, but he eluded capture, police said. 

Rodriguez was taken to Highland Hospital. 

Slattery said Rodriguez, an assistant housekeeper, and Ortega, a dishwasher, were not friends. He described Ortega as “quiet” and said that Ortega had another dishwashing job at a nearby restaurant. Ortega was not working at the hotel on the day of the attack. 

Police describe Ortega as a Latino male, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, 140 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Police believe he may be fleeing to relatives in Mexico. 

Contact reporter at  

matt@berkeleydailyplanet.net