Man arrested Saturday afternoon after being accused of groping woman in downtown Olympia
A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation after he was accused of groping a woman in downtown Olympia, according to police.
About 5 p.m. Saturday, the 25-year-old woman was talking to friends in the 200 block of Fourth Avenue, Olympia police Lt. Paul Lower said.
A man rushed up to the woman, put an arm around her and then grabbed the woman’s buttocks with both hands, Lower said.
The woman shouted and ran away from the man and her friends shouted at him as well, Lower said. In addition to them, multiple people witnessed the incident, including a member of the city’s crisis response unit, who reported it to police, Lower said.
The victim said she did not know the man, Lower said.
The suspect was arrested the same day near the Intercity Transit station, he said.
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 10:26 AM.
