Suspect Arrested for Stalking Teen Girl in Palm Bay
By Space Coast Daily // April 2, 2014
PALM BAY, FLORIDA — A 29-year-old man is in jail under $10,000 bond following an incident late Tuesday in which he reportedly stalked a 15-year-old girl as she walked home from her school bus stop.
Joseph David Thompson is facing a charge of felony stalking and a misdemeanor drug possession charge. According to Palm Bay public information officer Yvonne Martinez, at just after 4 p.m. Tuesday the female victim reported she was walking home from her bus stop in the area of San Filippo Drive and Witchita Blvd. when a man in a green vehicle began honking his horn and calling her over to the car. The girl told officers she kept walking when she noticed the man got out of his vehicle and ran after her. At this time the girl called her older brother crying and told him she was afraid. The brother then called 911. According to the victim the man began trying to have a conversation with her. As the victim attempted to flee the suspect chased her. The victim managed to get inside her home and locked the door.
According to Palm Bay Police, the girl then called her mother and said the man was outside the house pacing back and forth. The mother also called 911 to report the incident and provided emergency dispatchers with information about the suspect’s description and type of vehicle.
When patrol officers responded to the area they located the suspect vehicle semi-concealed in the area of Wagon Wheel Ave. and Witchita Blvd. The suspect was not in the vehicle but officers later located an individual matching the suspect’s description in the area of Tidewell St. and San Filippo Dr. The victim was able to positively identify him as the same individual who chased her. A search of the suspect revealed a condom in his pants pocket along with a small amount of marijuana and paraphernalia.
“Fortunately the victim in this case had the presence of mind to escape unharmed,” said Captain Nelson Moya. “We are very concerned about this individual’s intentions and the potential for his behavior to escalate if he’s released from jail.”
At the request of detectives and the State Attorney’s Office, Brevard County Court Judge Cathleen Clarke ordered GPS monitoring for the defendant if he is able to post bond. The judge also ordered him to have no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 18. If he is also released he is not allowed within 1000 feet of any school.
Anyone that has experienced a similar incident involving this individual is asked to contact the Palm Bay Police Department at 321-952-3539.
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