A late-night stop at a North Miami Beach gas station turned into a terrifying ordeal early Tuesday when a woman fought off an apparent sexual assault inside the restroom, according to police. Officers say they quickly tracked down the suspect nearby and, after a brief foot chase, arrested him.
What police allege
According to Local 10, jail records identify the suspect as 26-year-old Dadleey Desir. He faces counts that include attempted sexual battery without serious personal injury, resisting arrest without violence, petit theft and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use.
Officers were called to the Marathon gas station at 13490 Memorial Highway just before 2 a.m., after the victim reported that a man followed her into a restroom and tried to remove her underwear without her consent.
How the arrest unfolded
The report stated the victim “was able to break free and ran out of the bathroom before the subject could complete the sexual act,” according to Local 10. Officers say they soon spotted Desir nearby, he allegedly took off running and resisted detention, but was ultimately taken into custody.
During a search incident to arrest, police say they found the victim’s purse in his possession and described recovering what they said was a crack pipe. Investigators also reported that while Desir was being transported, he punched the fiberglass in the rear passenger-side cage of the police vehicle.
Charges and custody
Local jail records show Desir was booked into the county lockup, with bond listed as “to be set.” The Miami-Dade Corrections site lists Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center among its detention facilities and serves as the county’s public database for inmate bookings.
Legal implications
State law spells out what qualifies as sexual battery and which elements prosecutors use to charge and classify the crime. Attempted sexual battery falls under Chapter 794 and can carry felony penalties, depending on aggravating circumstances.
The statute also defines “consent” and “serious personal injury,” and those definitions can shape both charging decisions and potential sentences under state law, according to the Florida Statutes.
North Miami Beach police say the investigation is still active. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact investigators through the department’s public channels.
