OAKLAND, Tenn.– Police in Oakland, Tennessee are investigating after a woman told police a man attacked her in a Dollar General parking lot.
The victim feared she was going to be sexually assaulted.
Off Highway 64, in the quaint and normally quiet city of Oakland a woman told police she was attacked Monday morning.
She told officers she was walking out of the Dollar General around 9:30. She was on her way to her car when she says a man grabbed her on the side of the building.
Oakland’s police chief says she was able to fight the man off. Police are now looking for a man accused of attempted sexual battery.
“That’s really scary to know something like this happened close to where I live, especially in this small community,” Breann Hoseney said.
The Dollar General where the woman said she was attacked is where Hoseney frequently shops.
“It’s very convenient. No one likes going to Walmart all the time,” Hoseney said.
She comes to the store at various hours.
While police say the crime is bizarre for the area, they also say the time it occurred is unusual too, at 9:30 a.m.
“That’s kind of odd,” Hoseney said.
One thing that might make the investigation more difficult is there are no cameras up in the area where the chief says this alleged assault happened. So now they’re really depending on witnesses to provide clues about the attacker.
“I don’t park on that side,” Liz Cates, another shopper explained.
Cates say hearing about attacks like this reminds her to stay aware…and park in visible areas.
“Where I see people in and out. ”
Thankfully police tell us physically the woman in the attack will be OK.
“I’m glad her instinct kicked in to kinda fight back because a lot of people would freeze,” Hoseney said.
Now they need the person responsible held accountable.
Police say nothing was taken from the woman and the suspect description is vague.
If you think you know anything you can call Oakland Police at 901-465-0070.