CLARKSTON, Wash. — A transient man was arrested Wednesday after Clarkston Police said he grabbed a teenage runner while she was participating in a cross-country meet.
John Cooksey, 33, was arrested for unlawful imprisonment and fourth degree assault.
According to court documents, a 14-year-old freshman runner for Asotin High School said she was running by herself on Riverside Boulevard when a man on a bike grabbed her by the forearm around 4:30 p.m. The teen told police the man would not let go of her arm. She said the man asked her where she was from and how far she was going.
The victim said she tried to pull away from the man, but his grip was strong. She eventually used her free fist to hit his hand to loosen his grip and get away. She said she ran away and went to tell her coach what happened.
The man was described by the victim as being white, 6’2” tall, in his 40’s with facial hair, according to court documents. A Clarkston officer then took the victim on a drive in his patrol car to search for the suspect. They eventually made it where the incident occurred and found that the area was turned into a small camping area where personal items were found, court documents said. Those items were seized and taken to the police department. The officer found a prescription bottle with Cooksey’s name on it and looked up a recent photo of him. Court documents said when the victim saw his photo she said was 100 percent sure that was the man who grabbed her.
Then, around 7 p.m. a man arrived at the Clarkston Police Department saying he was there to pick up the property of his friend, John Cooksey. He was told that Cooksey would have to come down to the police department himself to get his items.
Court documents said 30 minutes later, Cooksey showed up with his friend who had previously stopped at the police station. Cooksey was wearing a blonde wig, a shaved face, wearing makeup and was dressed in women’s clothing. Officers asked Cooksey when he changed his appearance and he said he had done it a few days ago. When he was asked about the attack on the teenage girl, Cooksey said it wasn’t him and he didn’t see this happen. An officer told Cooksey it looked like he was trying to alter his appearance, but he said he shaved three days ago when he got out of the Lewiston hospital, court documents said. Officials said he kept changing his story and it was hard to determine what was true.
Police then asked Cooksey’s friend if he had altered his appearance before coming down to the station. Court documents said he struggled to answer but said Cooksey was dressed like that earlier in the day.
Cooksey also had a previous misdemeanor warrant for second degree trespassing. He was booked into jail.