Man arrested after grabbing woman in St. George parking garage, police say

ST. GEORGE — A LaVerkin, Washington County, man was arrested Thursday after police say he grabbed a woman, seemingly at random, in a parking garage.

Oliver Hepworth, 18, was charged Friday in 5th District Court with forcible sexual abuse and aggravated kidnapping while committing unlawful detention, third-degree felonies; and assault, a class B misdemeanor.

The incident happened on Nov. 18 at about 8:40 p.m. in the parking garage at 38 W. Tabernacle Street in St. George. A woman told police she noticed a man nearby walking in the opposite direction of her. But when she got to the elevator to take her to her vehicle, he got into the elevator with her, according to a police booking affidavit. A second woman also got into the elevator.

“They all got off the elevator on the fourth floor. She walked to her car and opened the driver’s side door. After she had the door open, the male approached her from behind. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other arm was placed on the back of her head/neck area and the male attempted to push her into her vehicle. She screamed several times before the male released her and ran from the area,” the affidavit states.

Using surveillance video from the garage, detectives identified the man as Hepworth. When contacted by police, he stated “he was under the influence” and said “when he gets high, he gets” sexually aroused, according to the affidavit.

Hepworth claimed he intended to inappropriately touch the woman but ran off after she started screaming, the affidavit says.