A woman asleep in her Jacksonville, Fla., apartment awoke around 2 a.m. Sunday to a terrifyingly familiar face. 57-year-old Zachary Richardson had spent years stalking her before finally attempting to rape her. Unfortunately, her protective order didn’t stop him from breaking in and climbing on top of her. When she screamed, Richardson began punching her in the face, telling her he was going to rape her.
When he couldn’t remove her pants, he left, taking her TV with him. He set it near a vehicle, then turned to go back inside.
A neighbor sitting on a nearby porch was concerned, so he grabbed his handgun and followed him. Through the window he saw Richardson attacking the woman and believed he was trying to kill her, so he fired a warning shot. Richardson fled, but was arrested a short time later and faces several felony counts. Though severely beaten, the victim is expected to recover.
