A woman jogging in Arlington, Virginia, on Thursday physically detained a man she said groped her buttocks as he sped by on an electric bike, NBC4 reported.
The woman told the outlet that she was so determined to catch the man that she flagged down a motorist to help.
“I couldn’t catch him, and then I found a guy in a car and I asked the guy if he could help me chase the guy, and he helped me,” she said. “I didn’t even thought about it. I just want to catch him, especially when I saw him smiling and taking off on his ratchet bike.” (RELATED: ‘I’m Not Letting This Man Walk Again’: Woman Tracks Down Car-Theft Suspect, Drags Him By The Hair Out Of Barbershop)
This woman is a badass and I thank her for her service. 🙏
‘I can defend myself’: Jogger takes down man on electric bike who she says groped herhttps://t.co/s4YpjZouCI
— Melissa 💚 cutejewelrystore – BLM – wear a mask! (@cutejewelryst) September 16, 2023
The woman and the motorist followed the man through Arlington for about a mile before she spotted him in the city’s Roslyn neighborhood and locked him in a chokehold until police arrived, according to NBC4.
“Once I saw him try to cross the street, I just jumped on him,” she said, per the outlet. NBC4 showed video of the incident that was reportedly posted to the Twitter account @VAhiphopandnews. There is no active account with that handle. The account @VAhiphopandnewz — with a “z” rather than an “s” — does exist but did not have a video of the altercation among its tweets as of noon on Monday.
The clip shows the woman in leopard-print leggings and a sports bra restraining a man in a torn black t-shirt.
“I wish I could do the same,” an Arlington jogger who had seen the video of the takedown told NBC4.
The 25-year-old suspect, Edgar Estrada España, was arrested for assault and battery and treated for minor injuries, NBC4 reported. He was subsequently issued a summons and released.
“It’s scary, now,” the woman said. “I don’t feel, like, safe going out by myself, but eventually I’ll get back for my runs. I know I can defend myself, and hopefully that will never happen again to me or anyone else.”
The victim told NBC4 she believed that this was not the first time the suspect had groped a runner.