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Man accused of trying to rape woman walking in Gahanna park arrested
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Man accused of trying to rape woman walking in Gahanna park arrested

A man who allegedly tried to rape a woman walking in a Gahanna park Tuesday afternoon was taken into custody by police.

Johnathan Steele was wearing a ski mask and shirtless when he pointed a gun at the alleged victim in Creekside Park and dragged him into the woods, according to a Gahanna police report.

The woman told investigators that Steele “came out of a wooded area” when he approached her and told her, “Come with me or I’ll shoot you.”

The alleged victim ran away, but Steele “followed her, grabbed her from behind, put his arms around her and grabbed her wrist,” the police report said.

Police wrote in the report that the woman offered Steele her purse, but Steele said, “I don’t want this; I want you.”

Steele then broke free and dragged her into the trees before she could escape again.

An officer later found Steele riding his bike near Price and James roads. According to the report, the suspect had a loaded gun in a holster on his hip.

“I was with the girl,” Steele told the officer, according to the report.

Steele eventually admitted that he considered raping her and also admitted to following the woman, pointing his gun at her and wrestling her, according to the report.

During the investigation, officers learned that Steele was not allowed to carry a gun due to a previous family-related conviction in Virginia.