Pine Bluff police say a sex offender approached a woman as she walked to a local store, asking to use her cellphone before trying to sexually assault her, according to court documents filed this week.
The victim told authorities that she had been approached around 3:10 p.m. July 9 in the Bay Street area by an unknown man, later identified by police as Joshua Thomas, 32, of Pine Bluff.
He is being held without bail at the Jefferson County jail as of Friday afternoon on one count of second-degree sexual assault, records show.
According to an affidavit filed Thursday in Jefferson County Circuit Court, the woman said Thomas asked to use her cellphone, telling her that he did not want to get fired from his job.
A short time after she refused and walked away, Thomas grabbed her from the back and forced her to the ground, the document states.
The women said she then began screaming as loud as she could while Thomas forced her hands to the ground and began forcing himself on her.
The affidavit states that when a witness saw what was happening and told Thomas to get off the woman, he ran away and was later arrested.
Thomas admitted to grabbing the woman, adding that he saw a "pretty lady walking down the street and he just wanted to have sex with her," according to police.
