Athens man suspected of trying to enter dorms, performing sex act in woman's home
An Athens man was arrested Sunday on charges that he was captured on video attempting to enter dorm rooms on the University of Georgia campus, then about two hours later a young woman was awakened in her apartment off campus only to see the same man committing a sex act.
The burglary occurred at about 5:30 a.m. Sept. 8 near campus on Waddell Street in a neighborhood with several apartment complexes where UGA students reside.
No one was physically harmed in the burglary although four people, all 19 years old, were inside at the time, according to an Athens-Clarke police report.
The suspect was identified as Rashard Timothy Blackshear, 35, who was arrested at his home several blocks away on Broad Acres Court after police were able to track a pair of stolen AirPods to his apartment, according to police spokesman Geoff Gilland.
Police were dispatched to the apartment after a woman reported she awoke to see a man beside her bed with his pants down and committing “a lewd act.” When she sat up, the intruder pulled up his pants and ran down the stairs where the report indicates he apparently fled out the front door.
Three males in the house also heard the commotion, but were unsure what had happened, according to police.
That night police had contact with UGA police, who reported that about two hours earlier a suspect with the same description was caught on camera attempting to enter multiple dorms on campus.
UGA police also provided Blackshear’s name to the officer as a possible suspect.
After the crimes were reported, police began searching the apartment complex and noticed that numerous doors had been left unlocked by residents.
Blackshear was arrested based on a pair of wireless AirPods taken from a home on South Church Street, where the residents left their doors unlocked, according to the report. Police were able to track the pods to the suspect's home.
After his arrest, Blackshear was charged with burglary, public indecency, a felony probation violation and two counts of loitering and prowling.
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Blackshear has a criminal record in Athens dating back at least 10 years, according to court documents filed in Athens-Clarke County.
The probation violation charge was signed by Clarke County Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott and stemmed from 2017 convictions of three counts of theft by receiving, fleeing from a police officer and obstruction. He was sentenced to five years in prison and five years on probation.
These charges were filed in 2016 regarding crimes at homes on Indian Lake Court and Rumson Road in east Athens, where police reported TVs were stolen at each home. The victim in one case reported that besides thefts of property that chest of drawers were rifled, “my underwear drawer, specifically,” she told the judge in a hearing.
Police also reported that a pair of black panties were stolen at the Waddell Street residence.
At the 2017 hearing, Blackshear’s lawyer said his client has a “substantial number of misdemeanor convictions,” some he described as “low-level nuisance type stuff.”
Blackshear remained in the Clarke County Jail Wednesday on the recent charges pending a bond hearing.
As a result of the crimes, police issued an public safety alert asking residents in that area to lock all doors to their homes, maintain outdoor lighting and consider installing a surveillance camera.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens man faces burglary, indecent act and loitering charges
