Police compare assaults on women near OSU and UO
EUGENE, Ore. -- Police are investigating whether a man accused of groping two women in nearby Corvallis is the same man wanted for flashing and grabbing women near the University of Oregon campus last week.
Corvallis police arrested Kevin Richard Knotts, 20, on suspicion of attempted rape, kidnapping, harassment and prostitution on Wednesday.
Eugene police are still looking for a man who grabbed a woman from behind south of the UO campus and jumped out of the bushes and flashed two women in the same area -- then followed them and exposed himself again after the women ran away.
Detectives were alerted Thursday about the arrest in Corvallis and are exploring whether the two cases are connected or not, according to a spokesperson.
Knotts was arrested after officers investigated what started as a single report of a woman being grabbed. Officers quickly identified two more potential victims.
At 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, Corvallis police officers responded to a report of a man that had touched a female inappropriately in the 700 block of NW 28th Street, north of the Oregon State University campus.
Officers contacted the victim and immediately began searching for the suspect, described as a white male in his 20's with shaggy blond hair wearing a red shirt touched her in a sexual manner and grabbed her. She yelled at the suspect, causing him to run from the area.
As officers investigated the incident, another victim reported she was confronted by a man in the 400 block of NW 26th Street. The suspect grabbed her, touched her inappropriately in a sexual manner, then offered to pay her for a sexual favor, police said. She refused, and the suspect fled. This incident occurred a few minutes before the incident on NW 28th Street.
As officers continued to search, they contacted a man in the area of the incidents that matched the description of the suspect. The man, identified as Knotts, was later arrested.
During the investigation, officers learned of an earlier incident near Peavy Hall on the OSU campus. At approximately 10 a.m., a female reported to Oregon State Police that a man attempted to lure her toward his vehicle.
In all three incidents, the females were not physically injured and no weapons were used or implied by the suspect.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Tyson Poole at (541) 766-6924.
The suspect in the incidents near the UO campus was described as a white male, approximately 20-years-old, 5'8"-6'0", 150 to 160 pounds, tan skin with an athletic build and blond hair.
Anyone with information about similar incidents or who observed either of these cases, are asked to call Detective Tony Veach at (541) 682-5172.
