A 14-year-old Kentwood girl fought off a man who lunged at her from an SUV as she walked home from school. The attacker drove away. He struck again less than two hours later. He assaulted a 66-year-old woman in the same neighborhood before police tracked him down within 24 hours.

Two attacks. One suspect. 24 hours.

According to court documents obtained by News Channel 3, the Kentwood Police Department began investigating on May 12 after the teenager reported being attacked near Rondo Street SE around 6 p.m.

Surveillance footage released by police shows a dark-colored SUV pulling up alongside the girl on the sidewalk. A man jumped out and ran toward her.

Court records state the girl told investigators the suspect grabbed her and said “I got you” before she fought him off and escaped.

Investigators say the teen’s resistance caused injuries to the suspect before he ran back to the SUV and drove away. The nature and extent of those injuries were not disclosed by authorities.

Later that same evening, the Kentwood Police Department responded to a second report. A 66-year-old woman told officers she was gardening near Poinsettia Avenue SE between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. when a man approached her, made unwanted advances, and physically assaulted her before leaving.

Police say similarities between the two incidents helped them connect the cases quickly. Investigators used surveillance footage, license plate readers, witness statements, and identifying features to track down 29-year-old John Moore.

Charges and criminal history

Moore was arrested on May 13 and lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility. He faces charges of attempted unlawful imprisonment and assault and battery. A judge set bail at $140,000. Moore has not posted bond, according to The Mirror.

Moore also faces two probation violations, according to court records. He had been placed on probation last summer after being accused of voyeuristic offenses at a grocery store.

According to The Mirror, surveillance footage captured Moore crouching behind a woman in the store’s common area and covertly recording an upskirt video of her dress. The woman also discovered him in the bathroom, peering at her from the floor of an adjacent cubicle.

Roughly a year and a half later, Moore was accused of telling women they had a spider on their backs. When he moved in to supposedly help remove the creature, he would grab their behinds, according to local news outlets.

Defense argues substance abuse

Laura Jouce, Moore’s public defender, pushed back against the charges in court.

“He’s kind, and he’s gentle, and he’s patient, and I don’t think these crimes are reflective of the person that he is. I think that he’s had a reckoning while he’s been in jail regarding some potential substance abuse issues that he has to handle,” Jouce told the court.

Police ask for tips

Kentwood police say they do not currently know of any additional victims. Investigators are asking anyone with information or who experienced similar encounters to contact the department at (616) 656-6580.

Kentwood residents are watching the investigation closely. The surveillance video of the attack on the teenager has circulated widely online, drawing attention from national outlets.

The case remains active as Moore stays jailed awaiting further court proceedings.