A 33-year-old man who tried to sexually assault a woman was foiled by three Punahou area apartment dwellers who heard her screams for help early Wednesday morning.

Police said the suspect followed the woman from South Beretania to the Punahou-Dole street intersection about 1:30 a.m. When the man dragged the woman into the grass fronting 1508 Punahou St. and pinned her, the woman struggled to get away and began screaming for help.

Three men from an apartment across Punahou Street came to her aid and detained the suspect until police arrived.

The man, who said he has no permanent address, was arrested and was being held for investigation of kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault.