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Decatur Police arrest suspect accused of sexually assaulting woman in parking deck

Crime and public safety Decatur slideshow

Decatur Police arrest suspect accused of sexually assaulting woman in parking deck

Photo by Dan Whisenhunt
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Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

Decatur Police said that a man accused of sexually assaulting and robbing a woman in a county parking deck has been arrested.

Deonta Taylor, 19, of DeKalb County faces charges of robbery, kidnapping and sexual battery in connection to the Dec. 16 incident.

“The kidnapping charge stems from the victim being grabbed and physically moved against her will,” Lt. Jennifer Ross said.

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The incident occurred Saturday. Officers responded to the call around 9:23 p.m.

“Sgt. Parks met with the victim who reported she walked to the DeKalb County parking deck from the square while talking on her cell phone and initially walked up to the wrong level,” the report from Police Department said.  “As she turned to re-enter the stairwell, a male suddenly appeared behind her and reached and snatched her phone from her hand just as she was ending her call. The suspect then handed the phone back and ordered her to remove the phone case and unlock the phone. The victim complied.”

The suspect then put his hands on the victim’s shoulders and pushed her toward a nearby vehicle and tried to lift her skirt, the Police Department said.

She turned around to face him and shoved him backwards, yelling “No!” and “Leave!”

“The suspect fled and jumped over the concrete wall of the parking deck and the victim left the deck to call 911,” the report said. “A witness waiting on a bus in the Swanton Way turnaround stated he saw the victim and the suspect enter the deck and watched the interaction from a distance. He felt the interaction was suspicious as the suspect approached the victim and then jumped the concrete wall so he called 911. The witness then approached the victim as she exited the parking deck and offered for her to use his phone.”

Last week, two children had their cell phones stolen in separate incidents in Decatur. The police have not explicitly stated the incidents were connected, but said the suspect could be charged with other crimes.

“We anticipate additional warrants for Taylor are forthcoming for other recent incidents,” Ross said.

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