Parking Deck Assault Suspect Charged In More Crimes

DECATUR, GA — A 19-year-old accused of robbing and sexually assaulting a woman in the DeKalb County parking deck in downtown Decatur has been charged in several other crimes — several of them targeting children.

All of the crimes happened in or around downtown Decatur and two of them involved an underage accomplice, according to police.

Deonta Taylor, of DeKalb County, was arrested Tuesday and charged with robbery, kidnapping and sexual battery, according to Decatur Police spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Ross. On Thursday, Ross said Taylor has been charged with robbery in four other cases.

On Dec. 11, police say, Taylor snatched a phone from an 11-year-old victim near the Old Courthouse on Decatur Square. He's charged with theft by taking and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in a Nov. 15 incident at Chick-Fil-A in Decatur, where police say he stole a cellphone with a juvenile co-defendant.

He's charged with robbery and contributing to delinquency for allegedly knocking a phone from the hand of a 15-year-old victim that same day in the 400 block of North McDonough Street — again with a juvenile accomplice.

And, on Dec. 9, police say Taylor stole a vehicle from the 200 block of Robin Street.

At about 9:23 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a call from a woman at the parking deck at Swanton Way and Commerce Drive. The woman told officers she had walked to the deck from Decatur Square while talking on her cellphone when she realized she had walked up to the wrong level of the parking deck.

As she turned to re-enter the stairwell, a man appeared behind her and snatched her phone from her hand, police said. He then handed the phone back to her and ordered her to remove a phone case and unlock the phone, according to Decatur Police.

The woman complied. The man then put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her toward a nearby vehicle and tried to lift her skirt, Ross said.

The woman whirled around to face her attacker, shoved him and shouted "No!" and "Leave!" according to police. The man ran away, jumping over the concrete wall of the parking deck. The woman left the deck to call 911, with the help of a witness who was waiting for a bus at the Swanton Way MARTA stop

Taylor is charged with robbery, sexual battery and kidnapping in that case.

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