Suspect accused of exposing himself to shopper at Dollar General

GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - One Columbia County shopper saw something shocking in the detergent aisle at Dollar General, and now a suspect has been arrested.

And it’s not the first time the suspect has been accused of exposing himself.

Columbia County deputies said they arrested Michael Scott Stephens, 28, on a charge of public indecency, third or subsequent conviction.

The victim, a 29-year-old woman, told deputies that between 12:50 and 12:55 p.m. Saturday, she was shopping in the store at 5380 Columbia Road when she noticed a man following her.

She said she went to the laundry detergent aisle and noticed he was right behind her.

When she turned around, he had his private parts out and was performing a lewd act, she told deputies.

When she screamed, he ran from the store toward the Ivy Falls neighborhood, deputies said.

Stephens was arrested Tuesday – and as the charge indicates, this isn’t the first time.

On March 3, 2019, he allegedly walked around the Walmart at 260 Bobby Jones Expressway with his private parts exposed, according to an arrest warrant. When one of the four victims made eye contact, he chuckled, according to the warrant.

At that time, he was out on bond for charges in connection with two other incidents. He was accused of performing “a lewd exposure of his sexual organs” on June 6, 2018, at the Walmart at 5010 Steiner Way in Grovetown and on Nov. 5, 2018, at LuLu’s car wash at 232 Bobby Jones Expressway.

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