Clermont police are searching for a suspicious man who they say chased after two juveniles in Lake County.
It happened just before 9 p.m. Saturday when the children said they were walking toward Waterfront Park and a dark-skinned male jumped out of the bushes.
A flashing construction billboard sign at Waterfront Park is a constant welcome for visitors but also reminder to "enjoy the amenities" but "stay safe."
“Well for me I guess as a mom, I’m always like peripheral vision and listening for sounds and noises and then just making sure that we’re together. I don’t let her get too far away from me or me too far away from her," said parent Sue Cheek, who was visiting Waterfront Park for a brisk walk with her teenage daughter Tuesday evening.
They told police he chased them from the Osprey Ridge Apartments on Hunt Street to the park's entrance off East Avenue, saying "Come back to me. Where are you guys going?"
“As soon as you said that, I thought we won’t be coming here anymore. So hopefully it is isolated. I had not heard any reports of it. I truly hope that it keeps this park safe because there’s a lot of families here and there’s a lot of kids around," Cheek responded, when told details about what a Clermont Police report said happened.
The man was described as approximately 6 feet 1 inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing all black and a grey beenie hat.
Police said the description is similar to a vehicle burglary suspect in the same area the night before.
Neighbors said they will keep their eyes open but hope this incident does not tarnish their picturesque park.
“It’s kinda cloudy but when the sun is setting, it’s a beautiful setting, great for photography. I’ve seen people out here doing that, just enjoying the outdoors. So it would really be a shame if it turned into something where it wasn’t safe to be here," Cheek said.