Suspect who punched woman in face in attempted sexual assault arrested, Columbia police say
The suspect wanted for attacking a 62-year-old woman outside of an apartment building in November was arrested in Georgia Wednesday, the Columbia Police Department said in a news release.
Police reported Joe Nathan Fripp was arrested by “Dekalb County Police Department on unrelated charges,” in the news release.
The 48-year-old was wanted in South Carolina for multiple charges in connection with an attempted sexual assault of a woman in the 1000 block of Elmwood Avenue on Nov. 3, according to the news relesase.
Fripp repeatedly punched the 62-year-old in the face and threatened her with a knife if she did not follow his orders, police said in the news release.
The attack occurred around 1 a.m., The State previously reported.
A security officer on foot patrol reported “he heard a female in distress,” and found Fripp choking the woman who was “partially dressed,” according to the news release.
Fripp “was trying to pull his pants down” when the security officer intervened, The State reported. Fripp then ran away, police said in the news release. The woman suffered “extensive injuries.”
She was hospitalized with a broken nose and swollen eyes, The State reported.
Police said they are working with law enforcement in Georgia to have Fripp extradited from the Deklab County Detention Center to Columbia, where he will be charged with first degree attempted criminal sexual conduct, first degree assault and battery, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to the news release.
This story was originally published January 24, 2019 at 6:35 PM.
