Woman sexually assaulted outside store in Lakewood

A woman who went to a Lakewood Walgreens to buy dog food
ended up being sexually assaulted outside, according to
police.

The victim told police a man asked her for a cigarette as
she walked inside the store in 9500 block of
Bridgeport
Friday night, then exposed himself to her.

“I was just shocked,” said 29-year-old Candy, who asked to
have her last name withheld. “I just went in the store and
figured me seeing that would have embarrassed him enough
so he would just leave.”

But police say the suspect was hiding behind a pillar when
Candy left the store, and grabbed her as she walked toward
her car. He then proceeded to grope her, she said.

“At first I was just hoping that somebody would come out
of the store, or somebody would pull up. I was just in
shock and trying to get away from him,” she said. “It just
kept running through my head, like I didn’t know if he was
going to try and carry me off somewhere and rape me or
sexually assault me more.”

But surveillance video shows Candy was able to fight back.
She pushed off a nearby parked car with her feet, breaking
free of the suspect. When she grabbed her cell phone and
threatened to call 911 he left, taking her wallet with
him.

The suspect is described as a black male, around 20 years
old, 5’10”, with a slight build, black hair, baseball cap,
dark colored vest, long sleeved shirt and jeans. The
wallet taken from the victim is described as red in color
with white polka dots.

If you have any information, you are asked to call the
Lakewood Police Department.