DORAVILLE, Ga. — A Gwinnett County woman is recovering from an attack at the Doraville MARTA station parking lot over the weekend.
“Right after I got in and started [my car], a man jumped into the passenger seat next to me,” said Jennifer Carpenter. “He told me he wanted me to drive.”
Carpenter told Channel 2′s Matt Johnson it was around 10:30 Saturday night when the stranger snuck into her car before she could lock it. When she didn’t drive when she was told, she said the suspect became violent.
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“He hit me once on the side of my face,” she said. “He started putting his hands around my neck and that’s when I started laying on the horn.”
When she started honking, she said the man ran away.
“I’m pretty sure this guy’s plan was sexual assault since he wanted me to leave and go to another location,” she said, “and he wasn’t asking me for money.”
She describes him as a man in his late 20s or early 30s with short hair and possibly a tan coat. MARTA Police responded but couldn’t locate him, she said.
“I just don’t want it to happen to somebody else,” she said.
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Carpenter said she had pepper spray with her but the incident happened so quickly that she couldn’t reach for it in time.
She urges others to carry personal alarms and even a stun gun if possible.
“I think this could have happened at any parking lot late at night anywhere,” she said.
MARTA Police confirmed they’re investigating the incident and sent us this statement:
All patrons and customers should be vigilant in their surroundings and secure their belongings. MARTA Police Officers patrol the system 24 hours a day. Patrons can contact MARTA Police by calling 404-848-4911 or by using the blue and white phones located in all MARTA rail stations. Patrons can also use MARTA’s See and Say app to report crimes and suspicious activity.
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