A Tierrasanta man arrested today after allegedly trying to rape a woman in her Mission Valley home may be the assailant behind a yearlong series of similar local sex assaults against Asian women, a police captain said.

Thomas Parker, 39, allegedly confronted the 33-year-old woman and threatened her with a knife in her garage about 1:30 p.m., then grabbed her and tried to close the garage door, SDPD Capt. Jim Collins said. When the victim screamed and began to fight back, the assailant fled, and the woman gave chase, continuing to yell for help, Collins said.

Several passers-by joined in the pursuit before two off-duty Border Patrol agents captured Parker and help him for police. Based on the Parker’s physical characteristics and attire and the circumstances of the assault, detectives believe he is the assailant responsible for six earlier home-invasion sex crimes, according to Collins.

Samples of the perpetrator’s DNA taken following the earlier attacks, which began in June 2008, will be compared against Parker’s genetic profile. Parker was expected to be booked into county jail this evening on suspicion of burglary, assault with intent to commit rape and false imprisonment.