Woman: van driver followed me home

Police searching for man, van

By: CAROLYN CRIST

Posted: 10/22/07

Women continue to tell police of a suspicious man offering them rides. A fifth woman, also a University student, told police a man followed her home early Thursday morning after she declined his offer for a ride.

Police said the case may be related to two abductions that occurred during the Georgia-South Carolina football game weekend.

The man matches the description of the suspect from the previous incidents, police said.

The student said she was walking home from downtown Athens with three other women when a suspicious man approached them.

When they were near their home at Whistlebury Condominiums on North Avenue at 2:15 a.m., a car pulled up and a man offered to take them home. They told the man they all lived nearby and didn't need a ride, according to the police report.

The woman said the man drove away, the four of them walked home, and someone knocked at the door 10 minutes later.

The woman had enough time to change clothes, she told police.

The woman opened the door because she was expecting a friend to visit, but it was the man who offered the women a ride.

"I had no idea while it was happening that it could have been the same guy," the woman said during a phone interview Sunday. "I just wanted to go to bed and get him away."

She described the suspect as a 5'6'' male between 25 to 30 years old, who had a brown crew cut and was a "stocky" 190 pounds. He wore a black polo shirt and baggy, long black shorts.

"I didn't realize until the detective talked to me that the appearances were the same," she said. "The detective continues to contact me."

The man asked to come inside because it was cold outside. The woman told him, "She was about to go to bed because she had been drinking and had to get some sleep," the report said. But he continued to try to enter the apartment, according to the report.

He put his hand on her hip and tried to kiss her. The woman told him her boyfriend lived with her and pushed him back, but he grabbed her arm gently and told her it was the first time he had ever really gone after a girl.

A female roommate came out of her room and told them to be quiet so she could sleep, and the woman closed the door and locked it.

The man acted shy, but she said she was surprised by his forcefulness.

"This man followed me home. He was on a mission," she said. "Don't be alone, and make sure you get a real taxi. It's definitely worth the few dollars."

The car was described as a full-sized "boxy" dark car, possibly mid-'90s.

A neighbor , on his front steps, said he saw the incident and gave police the same description.

A man in a white van abducted two women on Sept. 8 and 9 from downtown and took both to Oglethorpe County. One escaped, and the other was raped.

Those with information should call ACC Detective Ben Dickerson at 706-613-3337, ext. 793.