Man arrested after exposing genitals and chasing woman in attempted rape at Fayetteville school, lawmakers say

FAYETTEVILLE, NC (WNCN) — Cumberland County lawmakers arrested a man they said exposed himself and attempted to chase a woman at a Fayetteville elementary school this week.

The incident was reported shortly before 6:10 p.m. on Wednesday as MPs received a report of a woman jogging around Sherwood Park Elementary School at 2115 Hope Mills Road when she was approached by a man.

The man “bared his genitals” to the woman, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

The suspect then attacked the woman and asked her to get on the ground, according to MPs. However, she was able to run away and pull over a Fayetteville police officer who was in the area on an unrelated call, the press release said.

The man fled and ran toward Friar Avenue. The officer attempted to locate the man with a K-9 but was unable to do so, lawmakers said.

On Friday night, a news release from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said Tommy Lee Watson, 31, has been charged in the incident.

Watson has been charged with attempted second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and indecent exposure, MPs said.

He is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center on $100,000 bail.

Watson’s first court appearance is scheduled for Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the detention center.