A man was arrested earlier this month after allegedly trespassing into restrooms on the Johnson County Community College campus and making lewd comments to students, according to documents filed in Johnson County District Court.
Malik Woolridge, 27, was charged with breach of privacy and criminal trespass after a staff member allegedly saw him peering into bathroom stalls.
On Jan. 31, the staff member contacted police and said she noticed a man standing outside a restroom who made her feel uneasy. After she entered the bathroom, she claimed she heard someone come in very quietly. She peeked through her stall and noticed Woolridge walking slowly, opening the stall doors and looking inside, court documents state.
The woman told police she yelled at him and told him he needed to leave. The man did not respond and exited the restroom, prosecutors say.
Officers apprehended Woolridge shortly after the incident and issued a trespass warning. During an interview with detectives, he allegedly admitted to police that he went into the restroom because he thought he might get to see a woman exposed.
On Feb. 6, a JCCC officer found Woolridge circling the restrooms near the Midwest Trust Center building on campus, according to prosecutors. He was subsequently placed under arrest for trespassing.
Shortly after the defendant was taken into custody, officers were contacted by multiple female students complaining of harassment by a man matching Woolridge’s description.
One student told police she was studying in the Regnier Center when she was approached by a man who asked her for a sexual favor. The student told him “no” and left the area to report the incident, telling police she felt scared. Video surveillance later identified the man as Woolridge, according to prosecutors.
According to another student’s report, a man entered the parking garage elevator she was riding and made an obscene comment about her appearance. During the ride, the comments continued, and the student exited the elevator feeling uncomfortable. Her professor encouraged her to report the incident, court documents indicate.
Woolridge remains in Johnson County Jail on a $25,000 bond. His plea hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27.