Docs: Man attacked gas station employee in bathroom as she replaced toilet paper
ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) — A man faces multiple felony charges after being accused of attacking a gas station employee as she restocked toilet paper in the bathroom.
Maurice Hilliard, 29, was arrested by the Anderson Police Department in the early morning hours of July 28. Hilliard is listed as homeless in court documents.
According to investigators, Hilliard was at the Speedway gas station at 3801 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Anderson and told the attendant that the bathroom was out of toilet paper.
The attendant told police that Hilliard first followed her into the stock room as she got more toilet paper. As she was replacing the toilet paper in the bathroom, she heard the bathroom door shut behind her. When she turned around, she said Hilliard was standing in the bathroom with her. He turned the light off but she could still see a bit due to light coming in from underneath the door, she told police.
She told police that he pulled down his pants and started touching himself. When she tried to get out, he punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.
She was armed with a folding knife but her attacker was able to take it from her. She received a cut to the hand when she tried to get it back.
According to court documents, when she almost escaped out the door, he grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head into the wall. She suffered a broken nose during the attack.
Investigators say they continued to fight for several minutes. At one point, a customer entered the store and Hilliard covered the victim’s mouth as she screamed for help. According to court documents, another customer called 911 after hearing screaming but left the gas station without intervening and before police arrived because he “had to be at work.”
Police say the victim was eventually able to call 911 from her Apple Watch and Hilliard ran away.
With the help of a police dog, Hilliard was found soon after hiding in brush just before 2:30 a.m. Officers say he told them “he was the one they were looking for” and that he had a knife belonging to the victim, according to court documents. He also told officers that it was the gas station worker who attacked him, according to police.
After being taken to the Anderson Police Department, officers said Anderson refused to make any statement about the allegations, saying he didn’t remember being at a gas station.
Hilliard faces felony charges of criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury (two counts). He also faces a misdemeanor charge of public indecency.
According to online court records, Hilliard had an initial court appearance on July 29. Online records do not yet list a future court appearance for Hilliard.
