TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Police Department on Saturday arrested a registered sex offender who is accused of attacking a hotel worker earlier in the week.
John C. Eckhard, 41, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and kidnapping with intent to harm.
The Marriott hotel worker provided Tampa police enough information to create a digital sketch of the suspect, which allowed officers to identify Eckhard.
The aggravated battery happened around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, in a public restroom at the Marriott at 1001 North Westshore Blvd., according to the Tampa police.
Late Friday, Tampa police officers encountered a man who looked like the composite sketch released earlier in the week. The man agreed to let officers look inside his backpack.
Officers found a knife like the one let at the crime scene. They also found a pair of gloves that matched the victim’s description of the gloves worn by the suspect during the aggravated battery.
The man is accused of following the victim into a public restroom early Tuesday. The victim looked in the mirror and saw him standing behind her, according to the police.
Police said he threatened her with a knife. During a physical struggle, the victim screamed into her portable radio, which she had because she is a hotel employee, and the suspect ran away.
Police officers arrested Eckhard around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
