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Assualt suspect finally arrested

Suspect is charged with assaults in three counties

by Chanel Chambers and Susanna Henighan

The Brecksville Police Department is holding a man believed to be responsible for at least six assaults in Oberlin since October.

Monday night, Brecksville police arrested Jonah A. Locke, 25, of Elyria. He is charged with assaults in Lorain, Medina and Cuyahoga Counties.

Oberlin police believe that he is responsible for the six reported Oberlin incidents that occurred between October 1995 and last weekend. The suspect's targets were both students and townspeople.

Both assaults over the weekend were violent. Friday afternoon, an assault occurred near Forest and South Professor streets, where the attacker grabbed a woman's leg and hit her.

Around 7:15 p.m. Sunday, near East Lorain and Park streets, the assailant tackled a woman.

"The pattern seems to be women, sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs. [He] has grabbed women, pushed them onto the ground and has sometimes actually put his hand on their genitalia," Joe DiChristina, interim director of college security, said.

One of the vicitms of the assaults over the weekend described the attack: "I was walking east on East Lorain Street and I spotted a suspicious looking character about five yards ahead of me. I moved to cross the street [to avoid the man], but I was too late. The man jumped out and tackled me and put his hand up my skirt and then ran away. I was screaming the whole time."

"Then I continued screaming `Fire, fire, fire' and someone came out of the apartments. They invited me inside but I didn't have an interest in conversing with strangers, so I waited outside," the victim said.

After the police arrived, she walked through the incident with a police detective. "They offered to take me [where I was going] but I said I wasn't in the mood so I went home," she said.

According to Oberlin Police Captain Thomas Miller, Locke struck on different days of the week, and not necessarily in isolated areas. On one occasion he attacked women walking in a pair. The suspect also seemed to target women wearing skirts or dresses.

"I think it is a sickness. It is probably someone who has a record of exposing himself," Tom Miller, chief of Oberlin police, said.

Locke is not believed to be connected with the robbery in Tappan Square over Winter Term or the Arb flashing incidents that have occurred in the past.

Detective David Jasinski is building the case against Locke for the Oberlin Police Department. He said that any victims who have not yet reported assaults should contact him.

"I think [the police] were incompetent in their hunt in that they neglected to release a profile of this guy to surrounding areas," the victim said.

As for the response of College Security, the victim said, "Well, I love Joe DiChristina."

The victim said that she has been affected by her experience. "I felt the need to call Security often. Even the walk back from dinner seemed dangerous," she said.

To discuss the assaults, a campus forum on security was held Tuesday in Wilder Hall. In attendance were DiChristina, Miller, Angelique Yost, investigator for the office of security, and around 18 students.

"What's going on is an awful situation. Our goal is to inform the community about the incidents and let them know what is being done about them," DiChristina said to open the forum.

Some students said it was unacceptable that the Office of Security chose to post flyers around campus describing the most recent crime, rather than sending out an all- campus mailing.

At the forum there was concern expressed that students were unaware of the assaults. "I announced it in my math class this morning and I don't think anyone knew about it," a student said.

"My thinking was that getting a flyer out immediately was the most effective manner." DiChristina said.

The last two assaults occurred on a weekend, Friday and Sunday respectively, at a time when many students do not receive campus mail.

The victim was also concerned about the amount of reaction on campus to the assaults. "I think there should have been a massive uprising and yet there was none," she said.

In response to a question about the proposed changes in security escorts, DiChristina said that the policy has not been changed.

"We have certainly responded to all safety escorts. There is no way that we'll ever put students in jeopardy." DiChristina said.

When asked about preventative measures, Yost said, "Keep in mind that there is nothing fool-proof, nothing 100 percent. I always stress don't walk by yourself. In normal situations I say walk in pairs. In abnormal situations I say walk in groups of three. This is an abnormal situation."

While commenting on what to do if attacked, Miller recommended students "draw as much attention to yourself as you can. Make a spectacle of yourself."

The panel stressed that students should be aware of their safety at all times and not to let the guard down because a suspect has been caught.

"I'll still be calling Security," said the victim.


Review staffer Geoff Mulvihill contributed to this story.
Oberlin

Copyright © 1996, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 124, Number 16; March 1, 1996

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