A Florida man was arrested on stalking charges after he allegedly followed two girls outside of a gas station.
On Thursday, February 11th at around 7:00 p.m., sheriff's deputies responded to a call from a Circle K gas station in the vicinity of DeLand, Florida. An employee of the Circle K told police that two girls came running into the store and were so scared that they had difficulty speaking.
One of the girls handed the employee a cell phone with their mother on the other end of the line who explained to the employee that the two girls were fleeing from an older man in a gray car who was allegedly following them.
The Circle K employee had the two girls hide behind the counter until law enforcement arrived. Another witness reportedly went outside and was able to grab the license plate number of the vehicle the girls claim was following them.
According to police, the girls were walking along the street not far from the Circle K when a man in a gray car passed them. A man in the vehicle apparently yelled something at them and sped away, but then turned around and began to follow them.
The girls claim the man in the gray car tried to speak to them again but the girls took off and ran back to the store, dropping their drinks and money in the process of fleeing.
Both girls described to officers the series of events that had just happened, as well as a description of the suspect, his clothing, and his car.
Deputies say they located a vehicle and suspect matching the description at another convenience store nearby in DeLand, Florida. When officers approached the man he said, "Is this about the two girls from earlier?"
The man, identified as 55-year-old Kevin Rich of Orange City, Florida, told deputies that he had pulled over to the side of the road to "smoke crack and masturbate."
He however denied following the girls and said that they were just startled by the activities he was engaging in.
Upon further investigation, it was uncovered that Rich had 24 prior felony charges and 16 prior misdemeanor charges, but none of them were related to sex offences or stalking.
However this time, Rich was charged with two counts of aggravated stalking of a minor and two counts of attempted lewd or lascivious exhibition to a minor. He was booked in the Volusia County Jail with no bond.