Man accused of sexual battery, impersonating a police officer in Tampa
A man was arrested Tuesday on six charges, including sexual battery, after he pulled over a car carrying three women while pretending to be police officer, then abducted one of the women and sexually battered her in his car, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
James Evans, 35, started following a car with three women in it just before midnight Monday near Bull Market convenience store, located at 13742 N 42nd Street in Tampa, deputies said. Evans then turned on LED lights, which were mounted on his dashboard, and when the driver pulled into Willow Brook Apartments, located at 14417 Hellenic Drive, he followed, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday.
Evans approached their car, identified himself as a law enforcement officer and claimed he was doing a drug investigation, deputies said.
He ordered all three women to get out of the car and place their hands on the hood while he searched them, the Sheriff’s Office said. Evans then told one of the women that she was under arrest and needed to get into his car, deputies said, adding that Evans tied the 27-year-old’s hands with a zip tie before putting her into his vehicle.
Evans drove to a nearby apartment complex and sexually battered the woman inside the car, deputies said. He later drove back to the area where the three women had pulled over their vehicle and dropped off the woman, authorities said, and she called the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to report that she had been raped.
Evans was found in his blue 2016 Chevrolet Malibu on Bruce B Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Deputies say once Evans realized he was being followed, he got out of his car and ran into the nearby woods. He was arrested and is being held in Pasco County Jail, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Evans faces charges including impersonating a public officer, sexual battery, grand theft, kidnapping and two counts of false imprisonment.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone else who believes they may have been stopped by Evans to call 813-247-8200.
“It’s extremely upsetting and concerning to think that someone was taking advantage of the trust our citizens have in law enforcement by pretending to be a law enforcement officer,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “Sexually battering a victim in the process heightened our urgency to find and arrest this suspect as quickly as possible. We need to find anyone who may have seen this vehicle or been stopped by this suspect. Please, don’t be afraid to come forward if you’ve been victimized.”
This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.
