ST. JOHNS, Fla. – Detectives are looking for a 34-year-old man suspected of preying on two teenage girls in the student parking lot of Creekside High School on Monday, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
An arrest warrant was issued Thursday afternoon for Keith Kelvin Grant, of Orange Park, on two counts of trespassing on school property, deputies said.
“It’s very concerning to have that in this community. It’s something that should be addressed immediately," said parent John Burch.
The first incident occurred just before 5 p.m. Monday, when Grant drove into the student parking lot and stopped to talk to a 17-year-old girl, asking for directions to a nearby park, according to detectives.
"She gave him directions and he said, 'Can you please show me, because I don't understand,'" said Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan.
The student told the man he could follow her in his car, and she asked a friend to follow them.
When they got to the park, deputies said, Grant asked if there was a quieter place they could go, which caused the girl to become concerned, and she drove away.
"They left him standing there," Mulligan said.
Deputies said that Grant then went back to the school about 6 p.m. and approached another female student in the parking lot and asked if she or any of her friends wanted to go to a party, deputies said.
The student told him she was 17, and he replied that he was 21, then asked for the girl's phone number, deputies said.
She told deputies that she refused and then asked the man for his number before leaving the area.
The student reported the incident to school officials and then to the school resource deputy the next day. She also gave the man's phone number to authorities.
Deputies said they called Grant and asked him to come down to the Sheriff's Office, but he refused, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Family members told deputies that they're urging Grant to turn himself in.
"We don’t need people like that around here, around our children," said Dawn Raney, another concerned parent. “It’s very disturbing. I think that as parents, we need to teach our children that there are bad people in the world and they have to watch out for themselves.”
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said the teenagers did some things right, but there are also things to be learned from what they did wrong.
"Once he said can we go to a more private place, she took off, she did the right thing. Now, I wish she hadn’t have gone on the first place, someone is trying to get directions, then just stand there with them, keep a distance and always keep your eye on the person, and verbally give directions," Smith said. "If that person tries to get you to go someplace else, you make up excuses."
The principal at Creekside High sent out the following message to parents:
"On Monday, 3/6/17, late in the day, close to 5 p.m., an unauthorized visitor came onto our student parking lot. This visitor approached a female student asking for directions to a park. At a separate time near 6 p.m. during the same day, the unauthorized visitor approached another female student requesting her to “attend a party”. Our students reported this incident to the Administrative Team and our Youth Resource Officer. Law enforcement immediately began their investigation and were later able to file a charge against the person for trespassing on school grounds. Law enforcement is continuing to monitor the school and surrounding neighborhoods. We have continued to advise our students and coaches regarding safety protocols for after-school activities."
LISTEN: Creekside principal's voicemail to parents
Parent Mariandina Davis said that she was shocked by the incidents.
"I thought they have stricter security around here," she said. "I'm surprised a man was able to come in on campus and solicit a girl like that."
Investigators said that Grant, who's described as a black male, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 179 pounds, had no reason to be on school property. On Friday, deputies released an image of the vehicle they believe Grant is driving.
News4Jax did some digging into Grant's background, finding 57 cases -- dating back to 1999 -- in Clay County alone. Most recently, Grant was arrested a month ago on a drug possession charge.
A year ago, he was also arrested for domestic battery, to which he pleaded no contest.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 904-824-8304. To remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a cash reward, contact Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).