Police stake out East Campus in search of naked jogger

Two witnesses reported seeing the suspect.

By Megan Hager

Published Nov. 16, 2010

Columbia Police Department officers are staking out certain parts of East Campus this week in search of a naked jogger, CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said.

Last week, witnesses reported to CPD two separate sightings of a naked man jogging in East Campus. Both incidents happened between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“Obviously, it was strange,” Haden said.

East Campus beat officer Vance Pitman is on the case, and, with the help of the Street Crimes Unit, officers have been stationed in the area during the times the jogger has been seen.

Haden said Pitman has a vested interest in protecting the residents there, because many of them are college-aged women.

“We don’t know his motives, and we don’t want him to turn dangerous,” Haden said.

If caught, the man will face an indecent exposure charge. He will also face a charge of second-degree sexual misconduct, meaning he is exposing his genitals knowing he will cause shock or alarm to others.

“It is more common for someone to be arrested on an indecent exposure charge if they are peeing in public where a man is so careless he exposes himself to a stranger, or if someone with no pants on is in a car in a parking lot where people can see them and is clearly doing it to shock someone,” Haden said.

Haden encouraged people to tell police if they see the suspect.

“I want to let people know that we know these things occur,” she said. “We want people to report it to us. I know sometimes it happens, and no one reports it, which makes it harder to find the suspect.”

The suspect is said to be heavyset and in his late 50s with shoulder-length blonde hair.

“You’ve got to put some shorts on, buddy,” Haden said.