A man has been charged with three felonies after trying to abduct a woman at gunpoint Tuesday night on Grosvenor Street.
Johan Londono, 18, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was charged yesterday with abduction, obstructing official business and eluding a police officer, according to a news release from Capt. Tom Pyle of the Athens Police Department. All three charges are felonies.
Londono is accused of grabbing a woman from behind and holding her at gunpoint at about 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to police reports. When another person approached the scene, he allegedly struck the woman in the face and fled. The woman suffered minor injuries.
Londono was arrested yesterday at about 1 p.m.
This incident shows the importance of taking the right precautions when out at night, said Char Kopchick, director of health promotion at Ohio University. One mistake people make is assuming Athens is always safe, she added.
In the big picture
it is a safe community Kopchick said. But things can happen.
Both men and women should walk with a friend when out at night, Kopchick said. It is also smart to be aware of your surroundings. Talking on a cell phone or keeping your head down only makes you more susceptible to attack.
It's about making people aware that you are there Kopchick said.
If you feel you're being followed, go knock on someone's front door or start walking the other way. If nothing else, you can even ask the suspicious person if they've been tracking you.
Programs such as Safe-T Patrol, available everyday from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., offer walking escorts and can be reached at 593-4040.
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