EUGENE, Ore. – A 35-year-old Eugene man was arrested on Wednesday morning after a series of harassment incidents involving multiple victims, according to the Eugene Police Department.
Authorities responded to a series of calls on January 22, beginning at 8:32 a.m., reporting a man in a van harassing women at various locations throughout the city. The first incident occurred at a Dari Mart store located in the 100 block of Monroe Street. Police said the suspect, later identified as Kerry Michael Diamond, approached a woman and aggressively asked her for sex before groping her. When the woman asked him to leave, Diamond allegedly moved his van but continued to stare at her from a distance, prompting a call to authorities.
Less than 30 minutes later, at approximately 9 a.m., police received another report of a man matching Diamond’s description in the area of East 18th Avenue and Patterson Street. In this incident, Diamond was reportedly seen chasing a woman while making threats to kill her. In an attempt to escape, the victim ran into traffic before a bystander offered her an emergency ride. The suspect fled the scene, but police soon located him in his van near West 18th Avenue and Chambers Street. Diamond was arrested without further incident.
During the investigation, authorities learned of a third reported incident that occurred shortly before Diamond’s arrest. A 911 caller reported that a woman, running with her two dogs, had been approached by a man matching Diamond’s description. After the woman refused his request to release her dogs, Diamond allegedly got out of his van and began chasing her. The woman, who did not have a phone with her at the time, was assisted by a bystander who contacted authorities on her behalf. The victim later filed a report with the police.
Diamond, who is also accused of failing to register as a sex offender, was transported to the Lane County Jail. He faces multiple charges, including third-degree sex abuse, three counts of second-degree disorderly conduct, and failure to register as a sex offender.
The Eugene Police Department continues to investigate the case, urging anyone with additional information or similar experiences to come forward.