The Starkville Police Department arrested and charged Chickasaw County man with stalking after following a 19-year-old Mississippi State student numerous times while she was jogging.SPD Detective Laura Hines said the victim, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, filed her first report with the SPD in June after being followed by a man driving a gray Buick multiple times throughout May and June during her daily morning jogs.
On June 29, the suspect, Johnny ‘Radar’ Griffis, followed the victim to her house for the first time.
Hines said because there was no visual evidence of the suspicious man, the police were unable to investigate further.
On the same day the victim filed the report, the Buick was observed on University Drive with its driver displaying suspicious behavior.
“We did not know at that time that it was the same vehicle,”
Hines said. “It was the document that assisted us on the case.”
The victim returned to Starkville for the start of the fall semester.
She began jogging again several days before filing the second report, changing her route each day, Hines said. The victim noticed Griffis’ vehicle following her on two instances before filing her second stalking report on Oct. 2.
The victim assisted the SPD in a sting operation Wednesday. Griffis was arrested between 5:30 and 6 a.m.
Hines said she offered to go running with the victim Wednesday morning, without appearing to be running with her.
“We had a potential sex offender stalking this girl,” Hines said. “I asked her how she’d feel about me running with her the next morning. It was okay by my sergeant for me to run near her for protection.”
SPD Detective Chadd Garnett ran near Hines and the victim and MSU Police Detective Don Bartlett followed them in a vehicle from a distance for surveillance. After leaving her house, the victim spotted Griffis’ vehicle on Academy Road, but she still wanted to continue with the operation, she said.
Hines said she and the victim met on Montgomery Street at 5:10 a.m. and started out running north, with several yards between them.
Two female runners, who were stretching in the Harvey’s parking lot on Highway 12, said they noticed Hines change directions and saw the vehicle enter the Harvey’s parking lot, Hines said.
The vehicle passed Hines and the victim immediately after they ran past Harvey’s,”she said. She then notified patrolling officers to watch for the Buick.
SPD patrol officer Trey Wall saw the suspect’s vehicle on University Drive, Hines said.
The vehicle was swerving and the driver was clearly looking into his rearview mirror and not wearing a seatbelt. Wall then initiated a traffic stop.
Hines said Griffis confessed that he had followed the victim a minimum of four times since May.
“He had on a black T-shirt, running shoes laced up and ready to go, boxer shorts with the fly open and he had an erection,” she said.
Hines said instances involving suspicious behaviors are not reported as much as they should be.
“They [sexual predators] are going to get rid of suspicious behavior when we [police] are present, so we need the public to report that behavior,” she said. “It’s not getting reported enough, because we would have stopped this in June.”
Hines said those who stick to a precise daily running schedule should change their routes each day, run in well-lit areas and run in groups of two or more.
She also said those who listen to music while running should listen at a low volume so they can be more aware of their surroundings.
She said the SPD extends gratitude to the MSU Police Department for helping with the case.
MSU dean of students Mike White said he was unable to comment because the case is still under investigation.
To report any suspicious information, call the SPD at 323-4131 or the MSU Police Department at 325-2121.