Woman lured, sexually assaulted near gas station in Liberty County

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Sheriff's deputies in Liberty County are on alert after a woman was lured and then sexually assaulted.

Authorities say the sexual assault happened along County Road 1413 in an area near an oil tank depot.

The 30-year-old woman escaped her attacker after having car trouble near this gas station.

Customer Mike Tinkle said, "Drive on the rims until you get somewhere safe. A rim is cheaper than that."

Regular customers learned of the weekend crime that started when the woman had a flat tire in front of this Valero on Highway 90. The man helped her change it then offered to help her with another issue if she followed him to get his tools.

Employees are talking with detectives and searching through dozens of camera angles for a possible picture of the man.

Darick Furtado works at the Valero and said, "Since it's a Saturday we don't have time to look out that much. We have a lot of customers inside so I don't have time for what's happening outside. We have the cameras so that's what we do."

Detectives do have a truck description: a red 2-door Chevy extended cab pick-up truck with chrome wheels and a bench seat. He has several black Christmas tree car air fresheners hanging inside his truck. There could also be body damage to the truck from the victim's car door as she sped away to escape.

Captain Ken DeFoor with Liberty County Sheriff's Office said, "For him to stop again and ask her to step in his truck and sit in the truck while he checked her vehicle, these were red flags, something that shouldn't have happened."

The majority of customers who stop here are local and they are anxious for an arrest.

"They need to catch him, bad," said customer Mike Tinkle.