ORLANDO, Fla. — A man was arrested after he attempted to rape someone at an Orange County bar, the Orlando Police Department said.
At around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to the Avenue Gastro Bar at 13 South Orange Avenue in reference to an attempted sexual battery.
Upon arrival, dispatch told officers the suspect was being held down by bar employees.
According to a report, the victim told officers that they were at the bar with friends and got up to use the bathroom.
When they went to the bathroom, they said they were met by a man identified as Alexander Stokes, who was standing behind a door that swings inward.
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The victim told Stokes that Stokes was in the wrong bathroom, a report said. Stokes apologized and closed the door behind him.
Stokes then took out his private parts and asked the victim if they wanted to have sex, the report said. The victim refused and attempted to leave.
The report said Stokes grabbed the victim from behind in a bear hug motion while also placing his hand over the victim’s mouth and attempted to pull them into one of the stalls.
The victim was able to break free from Stokes’s grip and began to punch him several times, the report said.
The victim said Stokes went down to the ground due to being punched and they attempted to flee again, but they were stopped by Stokes pushing the door shut.
The victim turned around and began to punch Stokes again, the report said. After continuously punching Stokes, the victim was able to escape Stokes and run out of the bathroom, the report said.
While running out of the bathroom, the victim began yelling, “He tried to rape me,” while pointing back towards the bathroom as Stokes was exiting the bathroom, the report said.
A bar employee, Steven Santucci, reportedly told his co-worker, Adrian Garcia, to stop Stokes from leaving while he called 911.
Santucci told officers he saw Stokes try to leave the bar and pushed Garcia out of the way. Santucci then jumped over the bar and ran to assist, the report said.
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Stokes pushed his way out of the bar and began to run northbound on South Orange Avenue toward East Central Blvd., the report said.
Santucci told officers he began to run after Stokes and at one point, Stokes tripped and fell to the ground just south of the intersection, causing him to have cuts on his face and hands.
Santucci said he got on top of Stokes in an attempt to detain him while officers were being dispatched. Santucci said Stokes attempted to get up and fight him off, but Santucci was able to keep Stokes down on the ground.
Stokes was arrested and charged with attempted sexual battery, false imprisonment and battery.
The victim said Stokes never touched any of their private areas and was never able to take their clothes off.
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