HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 27-year-old Torrance Peterson on attempted kidnapping and sexual battery charges.
According to the sheriff's office, Peterson was asked to leave the Wawa at 2604 HWY 301 after employees found him in the women's restroom.
He left the building but not the parking lot.
That's when deputies say a woman saw Peterson outside the Wawa exposing himself while masturbating and watching her. Concerned, the woman got in her car and left but noticed the SUV was following her, according to the sheriff's office.
Once at her apartment complex, the woman got out of her car and saw the same SUV and Peterson there, too, until she lost sight of him.
As she walked to her apartment, deputies say Peterson forcefully grabbed her neck from behind, still exposing himself.
She was able to get away and provide the sheriff's office with a description.
"Thankfully, the victim was able to defend herself and escape from Peterson's grasp," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a news release. "It was her strength and attention to detail that helped detectives to positively identify Peterson and the SUV he was driving."
Now, the sheriff's office is releasing images of Peterson's cars and asking if anyone who believes they have additional information regarding him to call 813-247-8200.
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