Friday, June 29, 2007
The first reported incident occurred about a month ago, police say.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD — Police are asking those who visit Liberty Memorial Park and the Elruth Court area to be extra careful after several people have reported seeing a man with no clothes in that area.
A 24-year-old city woman told police she was running around the track at Arrowhead Stadium on Wednesday when she noticed a man standing not far from the track. On her second trip around the track, she noticed the man was naked and masturbating.
The woman ran home and called police.
Police Chief Frank Bigowsky said the woman’s experience at the stadium is the latest in a series of incidents where a man is exposing himself to unsuspecting people in the area.
“We have had several incidents down in the Liberty Park and Elruth Court area of a man exposing himself to women and one 12-year-old boy,” he said. “We have beefed up our patrols in that area and are trying to make as much contact as possible in the area.”
In the episode involving the 12-year-old, Bigowsky said the boy had been playing a short distance away from his parents in a creek near a small bridge in the park when the man appeared on the bridge — nude except for shoes. The boy screamed and his father tried to find the man in the wooded area but was unsuccessful.
First incident
Bigowsky said the first reported incident happened about a month ago. He said there have been five different incidents reported to police, but he believes some may have gone unreported.
Police are asking anyone who may have seen the man to come forward.
Police are also asking that anyone walking or jogging in the park carry a cell phone and be extremely aware of their surroundings.
Bigowsky said the man has not shown any signs of violence, but police are not ruling out that possibility.
“The more frequent the incidents happen, the more likely they could pose a dangerous situation,” he said.
Police investigated a rash of similar activity here in 2006. A man was exposing himself to women in Liberty Memorial Park and at the track at the high school stadium.
A man was eventually arrested and convicted of public indecency in connection with the 2006 cases. He was fined and placed on one-year probation.
Bigowsky said police are not naming anyone as a suspect at this time, but he said those with a history of similar behavior will be under police scrutiny.
jgoodwin@vindy.com