Police need your help to find a suspected rapist. A 17-year-old girl told police a man sexually assaulted her in an LDS church parking lot. She claims it happened around 2:30 Friday afternoon at the Island View ward building at 1895 South Main Street in Clearfield.
"While in the church parking lot a male suspect in his thirties entered her vehicle, held her there and sexually assaulted her," said Clearfield Police Sgt. Lee Potts. He says a rape test confirms evidence of intercourse. "I know there was some forensic evidence collected and sent to the crime lab."
It is DNA evidence that could help match a name to the unknown face with the help of numerous leads from the composite sketch of the suspect. "A lot of leads coming in matching him up with photo identification," said Potts.
The victim told police she had dropped off a friend at nearby apartments before stopping at the church. "Something had fallen off of her seat in her vehicle," Potts said, "she stopped in there to clean up the vehicle and put the stuff back on the seat." That's when she says the man with a goatee overpowered her in her van.
The church parking lot is next door to a park where neighbors say suspicious people are always hanging out. Lisa Stapley lives across the street from the church. Although shocked to learn she was home at the time, she she's not surprised something like this could happen in her neighborhood. "I don't put it past anything happening near the park because there is a lot of drug activity going on," she said.
The LDS Stake Presidency there says they are being cautious and vigilant and have distributed the composite sketch of the suspect to their local church members.
The suspect is described as a white male in his 30's, 5'10", with blonde hair, a goatee, and a slender build. He may also have a hand injury. No word from police which hand or the extent of the injury. Call Clearfield Police if you have any information to help solve this crime. The number is (801) 525-2806.
