Florida man armed with knife accused of forcing woman into bathroom, attempting to attack her, officials say
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man allegedly opened a knife inside a Dollar Tree store and forced a woman into a bathroom, where he attempted to sexually attack her, according to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said the woman managed to distract the man in order to escape the bathroom and contact law enforcement for help.
Florida man arrested in attempted attack of woman in Dollar Tree bathroom
What we know:
Harrison John Dolo, 69, was arrested on Oct. 12 and booked into jail on numerous charges, including robbery, false imprisonment, attempted sexual battery, and petit theft, among others.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, the attack happened on Oct. 12 at the Dollar Tree on Rolling Oaks Blvd. in Kissimmee.
The woman said she was shopping near the back of the store when a man, later identified as Dolo, approached her, grabbed her arm, and showed her a large kitchen knife. He then forced her into the bathroom, demanded money, and forced her to take off her clothes.
The sheriff's office said the woman attempted to distract the man by walking around the bathroom, and escaped during a moment when the man went to get Vaseline out of his bag, the arrest affidavit said.
Dolo left the Dollar Tree and was found nearby, officials said. A glass pipe with burned residue that tested positive for fentanyl was found with Dolo, the sheriff's office said in its report.
Deputies said Dolo is suspected of opening a knife package inside the Dollar Tree before approaching the woman, the report said. An opened package was found on the floor of the store, but the knife was not located.
Officials allege Dolo stole $4.25 worth of items, including two knives and a jar of Vaseline. He also obtained $120 from the woman, the report said.
Dig deeper:
The sheriff's office said Harrison was convicted previously of petit theft in New York in January 2016.
Woman credited for staying calm, distracting alleged suspect
What they're saying:
"OCSO credits the victim for remaining calm and successfully distracting the suspect to escape. We want to remind everyone to always be aware of their surroundings," the sheriff's office said.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, the arrest affidavit for Harrison Dolo, and the Osceola County Jail.