Vero Beach PD: Arrest Made in New Year’s Day Sexual Battery Case
Vero Beach, Fl (treasurecoast.com)- The Vero Beach Police have reported that they have arrested Robert Coleman Jr. on allegations of sexual battery.
Here are the details:
In the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 2023, Vero Beach Police Officers responded to a reported sexual battery. Officers made contact with the female victim who advised she met a man at a bar while celebrating New Year’s Eve and spoke to him briefly. She explained that while walking back to her hotel, the man approached her and began to walk with her. Once in the hotel parking lot, the female advised the man suddenly stated, “You need to face the fact that you are gonna get raped tonight.” The man then shoved her against the wall and began attacking her. The victim stated she used her cell phone as a weapon and struck her attacker in the head which caused him to stop and provided her the opportunity to run away.
Officers located two small dark stains that appeared to be blood. Swabs were collected and submitted for DNA analysis.
During the investigation, a Vero Beach Police Detective developed a possible suspect. During an interview with the suspect, the detective noticed a small laceration near the suspect’s left eye. The suspect denied ever meeting the victim or being in the hotel parking lot. The detective obtained a DNA sample from the suspect, identified as Robert Coleman Jr who is a registered sex offender.
On April 4, 2023, the detective received the DNA results from the lab. The blood that was collected from the scene was a positive match to that of Coleman Jr. The detective immediately applied for a warrant for Sexual Battery which was granted on April 12th. Robert Coleman Jr was subsequently taken into custody the following day and remains incarcerated on a $150,000.00 bond at the Indian River County Jail.
