Newspaper: Third woman reports abduction, police may know suspect
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: News
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A newspaper reported Friday that Athens-Clarke County investigators may know the identity of a man posing as a taxi driver in order to abduct women from downtown, and that another University student has told police she too was abducted in the same manner in May.
The Athens Banner-Herald reported the University student contacted police Tuesday about the May abduction. She was able to escape from the van after he parked in the eastern part of the county. She was the third woman to report such an incident.
"Right now, we are checking on some things with an individual," Athens-Clarke police Capt. Clarence Holeman told the Banner-Herald. "We're not sure whether he's the person or not, but there are circumstances surrounding him that are too close to rule him out as a suspect."
Police said earlier this week a University student was the second woman to report she was an abducted by a man driving a white passenger van, but in that case, she was sexually assaulted. The incident occurred Sept. 8.
A week later, the University woman notified police after a friend explained the incident to Kathryn Keith Sims, director of Safe Campuses Now.
The first female to report the case to police, a 20-year-old from South Carolina, said she was separated from her friends while visiting downtown Athens and was approached by a male in a white passenger van. He offered her a ride at 1 a.m. on Sept. 9, and she willingly entered the vehicle, according to the release.
The male drove her to an isolated area on Arnoldsville Road in Oglethorpe County. She jumped out of the vehicle and called police at the nearest residence. Police say she was able to escape before he was able to assault her.
Police said the suspect may be picking up multiple passengers and driving all but his intended victim to their intended locations.
The suspect is described as a 20- to 30-year-old white male with short brown hair, between 5'8" and 5'11" with a medium build of 150 to 190 lbs. He was wearing a baseball cap and a light blue or white polo during the Sept. 9 incident.
The van was described as a new, large white passenger van with gray interior and rows of seats.
Crime Stoppers (706-613-3342) is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. People with information can call ACC Det. Ben Dickerson at (706)613-3888, ext. 793.
The Athens Banner-Herald reported the University student contacted police Tuesday about the May abduction. She was able to escape from the van after he parked in the eastern part of the county. She was the third woman to report such an incident.
"Right now, we are checking on some things with an individual," Athens-Clarke police Capt. Clarence Holeman told the Banner-Herald. "We're not sure whether he's the person or not, but there are circumstances surrounding him that are too close to rule him out as a suspect."
Police said earlier this week a University student was the second woman to report she was an abducted by a man driving a white passenger van, but in that case, she was sexually assaulted. The incident occurred Sept. 8.
A week later, the University woman notified police after a friend explained the incident to Kathryn Keith Sims, director of Safe Campuses Now.
The first female to report the case to police, a 20-year-old from South Carolina, said she was separated from her friends while visiting downtown Athens and was approached by a male in a white passenger van. He offered her a ride at 1 a.m. on Sept. 9, and she willingly entered the vehicle, according to the release.
The male drove her to an isolated area on Arnoldsville Road in Oglethorpe County. She jumped out of the vehicle and called police at the nearest residence. Police say she was able to escape before he was able to assault her.
Police said the suspect may be picking up multiple passengers and driving all but his intended victim to their intended locations.
The suspect is described as a 20- to 30-year-old white male with short brown hair, between 5'8" and 5'11" with a medium build of 150 to 190 lbs. He was wearing a baseball cap and a light blue or white polo during the Sept. 9 incident.
The van was described as a new, large white passenger van with gray interior and rows of seats.
Crime Stoppers (706-613-3342) is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. People with information can call ACC Det. Ben Dickerson at (706)613-3888, ext. 793.
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