OCALA, Fla. – An Osceola Middle School student told police that she was followed after leaving school on Monday afternoon in Ocala.
The student, who usually waits for her mother after school on Southeast Sanchez Avenue in Ocala,said she usually has a group of students with her, but she was alone on Monday.
A silver four-door car stopped and a man in the car asked her if she was bored and if she needed a ride, police said.
The girl told the man that she was waiting for her mother.
She described the man as a white male with blond hair, a short beard and a large tattoo on his forearm, with square-rimmed reading glasses.
The man kept staring at her and the girl said she told him, "You can leave now,”and the man replied, “Get in the car.”
The girl told police she got up from where was sitting, began walking and called her mother.
The girl told police that the driver of the car circled the block, pulled up next to her and began to follow her slowly.
The girl told police that the man did not say anything to her but was on the phone talking with someone.
As she reached Southeast Eighth Street at Sanchez Avenue, a blue four-door car pulled in front of her, cutting her off, she told police.
The girl said the driver of the silver car got out of his vehicle and began to chase her,and she ran toward Eighth Street Elementary School.
The girl told police that when she arrived at the school, the man was no longer following her.
The girl walked back to Osceola Middle School and called her mother.
Parents of Osceola Middle School students received an automated message and an email detailing the incident and asked parents to “talk to your students about accepting rides from strangers, and please use the Osceola car line to pick up your students.”
News 6 talked to parents on Tuesday to get their reaction.
"It was disturbing. It's not something you hear about in this area. It's a good area. I always feel comfortable but you never know. It can happen anywhere," parent Wade Anchbacher told News 6 reporter Vanessa Araiza.
Other parents could not believe that this happened in this area.
"There's a crossing guard right here on the corner. I usually pick up right there. Like, right across the street but I'm in the car line today," parent Sheri Jolley said.
Officials told News 6 that it is important that parents continue to have an open dialogue with their children.
"Continue to talk to your children. Continue to practice every safety technique that you know because yes, they do need to go to school, Yes, they do need to feel secure but they need to realize that nobody can do it all by themselves," Sgt. C.L. Barnes, public information officer for the Ocala Police Department, said.