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Samantha Hayes ReportingA teenage girl was assaulted while walking to school. She is the second victim and investigators worry there may be more. Salt Lake County investigators are concerned, because of the circumstances, that the man may have been targeting students in the area for a while.
Investigators want anyone with a similar story to come forward and build the case against their suspect, who was arrested Wednesday. However, in order for a victim to accurately identify the man in a lineup, investigators are withholding the man's mug shot and other details of the case.
Eyewitness News requested the police report and this is what we found out. The way to Kearns Junior High School is well known to the 13-year old girl who walks the route every morning. That's her schedule and that's why someone she did not know knew where to find her.
Sgt. Manfred Lassig, Family Crimes Unit: "She was approached by a male. He offered her a ride. She refused."
Kearns investigators say the man parked his red sports car nearby, in the parking lot of Kearns Library, then picked out his victim who was walking on the other side of the street on the way to Kearns Junior High school, and they believe he has done this several times before.
The police report says the teenager told police the man said he had watched her walk to school in the past, but never approached her until now.
Sgt. Lassig: "She was afraid, just kept walking when he asked if she wanted a ride, and she said no."
The report says the victim thought the man was "going to walk around her, then turned toward her and said, hi." He followed her and started "grabbing her under her shirt, and kissing her on the mouth...the assault continued all the way to the edge of school property."
Kearns deputies arrested the man two days later and now another victim has come forward -- a classmate.
Sgt. Lassig: "The victim we are interviewing later today is from last year. So we are dealing with a 10 month time frame."
Investigators describe the man as 5' 5'' Hispanic male. He was arrested, but bailed out of jail.
Kearns Junior High recently alerted parents in a school newsletter to make sure children do not walk alone. Deputies say they are giving other victims-if there are any- a week to come forward before releasing the man's mug shot.
