A man driving a green Toyota 4Runner has been reported circling the off-campus Greek Row neighborhood near Indianola and East 15th avenues, allegedly committing lewd sex acts in view of female Ohio State students. Columbus police are searching for the driver, and students who live in the area say they noticed the suspicious behavior even before classes started last week.
Columbus police received a report about similar concerns at a sorority house on September 1, according to WSYX. Ohio State officials say they are looking into the alleged incidents, though the university has confirmed it does not issue off-campus alerts for this kind of report. Columbus police are asking anyone with information to call 614-645-4545.
Students living in the fraternity and sorority houses that make up Greek Row say they feel like an afterthought when it comes to safety notifications. Luke Lesterhuis said students in off-campus Greek housing felt treated as outsiders and were unhappy about not hearing about the reports sooner, and he told the station he will now watch for the driver himself whenever he is behind the wheel.
Why No Buckeye Alert Went Out
Students in Greek housing have questioned why an alert notice was not sent despite the fact that sorority and fraternity houses sit just off campus. The answer comes down to federal law: under the Jeanne Clery Act, Ohio State issues immediate Buckeye Alert text messages for imminent danger on and near campus, while off-campus incidents in surrounding neighborhoods generally fall to the Columbus Division of Police, according to The Lantern. Clery Act reporting requirements can also include certain noncampus buildings or property connected to the university or recognized student organizations, while the task of warning neighborhood residents generally falls to municipal police rather than the university.
Natalie Jasinski, who lives in the area, said more security is needed around Greek Row. She said she has felt uncomfortable walking alone in her neighborhood near the Target, and described the driver as circling near students while performing sexual acts that make people uncomfortable. In response, students say they are changing their routines, walking in groups more often as a precaution.
A Pattern Of Off-Campus Concerns
This is not the first time a public lewd act has rattled students living near Ohio State. In March, a freshman reported seeing a man committing a similar act along a wooded section of the Olentangy Trail, which drew a search by Columbus police between Tuttle Park and the Dodridge bridge but resulted in no immediate arrest, as Hoodline previously reported. In October 2025, Columbus police also arrested a registered sex offender accused of exposing himself and committing a lewd act in front of a woman at Goodale Park, south of the University District, according to 10TV WBNS.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2907.09, public indecency covers recklessly exposing one's private parts or committing sexual acts in view of non-household members. Penalties range from a fourth-degree misdemeanor, carrying up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine, to a fifth-degree felony with up to 12 months in prison for repeat offenders or acts committed in front of minors, per the Koffel Law Firm.
What Safety Resources Exist Off Campus
Ohio State officials say crime report information tied to these incidents is included in the university's safety maps, including an Off-Campus Community Crime Map that displays recent Columbus police reports within a one-mile radius of campus over a rolling seven-day period. That tool relies on data supplied directly by the Columbus Division of Police rather than university alerts, the Lantern's reporting notes.
Beyond the crime map, Ohio State and Columbus police jointly run a patrol program pairing four full-time campus officers with four city officers to cover the off-campus University District in co-branded vehicles and on bicycles, according to the university's Department of Public Safety. The program, revitalized in 2022 and expanded in 2024, works alongside a 9,000-square-foot joint police substation on 11th Avenue near High Street that opened in January to serve as a base for off-campus patrols and community outreach.
Students living off campus can also pick up free safety devices, including window and door alarms and 100-decibel personal alarms, on the third floor of the Ohio Union through the Willie J. Young Sr. Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement office. The Ohio State University Police Division maintains an authorized strength of 78 full-time sworn officers, along with a campus 9-1-1 dispatch center and late-night travel options such as CABS On-Demand and discounted Lyft rides, according to the university's safety office.
For now, students near Indianola Terrace, the Greek Row neighborhood, say they are relying on each other rather than formal alerts. Until the driver of the green Toyota 4Runner is identified, residents like Jasinski and Lesterhuis say they will keep adjusting their routines and watching the street themselves.
