Alleged Peeping Tom encounter at Pinson Bicentennial Park triggers investigation

From The Trussville Tribune staff reports

PINSON — An alleged Peeping Tom situation unfolded at Bicentennial Park in Pinson on Monday around 6:30 p.m.

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Daniel Gonzalez and his wife, Karen Montalvo, were enjoying an early evening walk at the park together when Gonzalez went to the restroom.

Gonzalez said he noticed another man in the restroom when he walked in and proceeded into a stall. After he went into a stall, the man that was already inside the restroom went in the stall next to him, and after a short time, Gonzalez reports he saw the man staring through the crack in his stall, touching himself inappropriately. Gonzalez said he confronted the man, asking what he was doing and promptly telling him to get out of the bathroom.

“He said something that I couldn’t make out, then took a step back, zipped his pants, and walked out,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez also texted Montalvo to tell her to steer clear of a man coming out of the bathroom, and then proceeded out to relay the events to her.

The two said during their last visit to the park, there had been employees working while they were there, so they first walked through the park to see if the Peeping Tom was lurking anywhere, or if there was a City employee they could speak to. After finding there wasn’t anyone that could assist them, the couple called the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

After they made their initial call, Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders, who said he was at the park during the incident, made contact with the couple.

“I was incidentally on the other side of the building, locking up for the night,” said Sanders. “We do have full video coverage and we have turned the video evidence over to the Sheriff’s Department.”

Gonzalez said he spoke with the deputy when she arrived.

“She rolled down the window and I was the first person to say something to her,” Gonzalez said. “She never got out of the car. I told her the details of what happened, and she asked me a few questions, like what he looked like. I didn’t feel like I got much help from her.”

Sanders stressed that although a report was filed and subsequent video footage was turned over, the situation is an allegation and any suspect is innocent until proven guilty.

“We are taking this very seriously and we will let the investigation go forward,” Sanders said. “We got a reasonable video of the alleged person. We will pursue all remedies under the law.”