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Suspect lived at scene of alleged attack
Published August 21, 2007 at midnight
The man arrested for allegedly kidnapping, sexually assaulting and robbing a Denver woman last week in a parking garage lives in the same apartment complex where the attack occurred.
David Sydney Preston, 22, is being held on $500,000 bail for investigation of kidnapping, robbery and sexual assault, according to court records.
According to a neighbor, Dick Wake, the suspect was arrested around 4:30 p.m. Saturday during a raid at his parents' townhome in the Crestmoor Downs apartments at East Alameda Avenue and Monaco Parkway.
"I heard them yelling and screaming, and they used a flash bomb and captured him going over the fence," said Wake.
Wake said the suspect's family has been struggling for some time. Preston's father has been seriously ill, and his mother works as a flight attendant.
When she is away, Wake said, he often hears loud rock music and disturbances as Preston comes and goes.
A news release issued by police spokesman John White gave few details about what happened at around 4:50 a.m. Thursday.
According to his release, the suspect forced the victim into her vehicle at gunpoint in the early morning hours and sexually assaulted her in the parking garage of the complex in the 6700 block of East Cedar Avenue.
The suspect then made her drive to Crestmoor Park, where he sexually assaulted her again.
White said the suspect drove to a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store and demanded that the victim withdraw money from an ATM inside the store. The suspect drove to the park, where he then fled on foot.
"What really is a shame is this (complex) is under new ownership, and they are talking about getting rid of security," Wake said. Tenants have keys to the pool area, he said. The same keys offer access to parking areas under the high-rise apartments.
Sex assaults in Colorado
3,802 Number of sex assaults in 2006
Completed assaults: 3,650
Attempted assaults: 152
Rapes: 1,637
316 Number of rapes in Denver in 2006
Attempted rapes: 26
Top locations for rapes
Residence/home/ apartment: 2,571
Highway/road/ alley/street: 265
Other/unknown: 242
School/college/ university: 186
Parking lot/garage: 131
Relationship of offender to victim
Acquaintance: 957
Otherwise known: 573
Stranger: 509
Relationship unknown: 473
Friend: 228
Weapons used
Hands/fist/ feet: 3,538
Unknown weapon: 87
Other weapon: 63
Knife/cutting instrument: 45
Firearm: 34
lehndorffb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2792
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