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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

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