OKC Man Accused Of Attacking Clerk At Convenience Store

A woman says she managed to fight off a man who tried to rob a southeast Oklahoma City convenience store and sexually assault her.

The woman was working in the early morning hours of May 8 at the store near Interstate 35 and S.E. 44th Street. She said the suspect, 35-year-old Joab Golson, came into the store several times over a three-hour period.

The woman said she was locking the beer coolers just after 2 a.m. when Golson came back in and grabbed her from behind. She said he told her to lock the store doors and unlock the cash registers. The worker said she couldn't open the registers unless she was making a sale.

The woman said Golson then began to drag her toward the bathroom. She told police she fought him because she was afraid she was going to be raped or killed. She said Golson groped her and tried several times to put her in a choke hold.

The victim said during the struggle, Golson accidentally activated the panic alarm hanging from a chain around her neck. She managed to escape and Golson ran out of the store. A witness later told police he saw Golson go into a motel across the street.

Police tracked down Golson and took him back to the store, where the clerk positively identified him. Officers arrested Golson on counts of kidnapping, attempted rape, sexual battery and attempted robbery.