Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Woman At Shelton River Walk: Police

SHELTON, CT — A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman at the Shelton River Walk on Aug. 8 was arrested Wednesday, according to police.

In a news release, Police Det. Richard Bango said a 47-year-old woman reported on that date she had been walking her dog at the Riverwalk on Canal Street when a man approached her and said he wanted to get to know her.

The woman said she tried to walk away but the man put his arms around her and prevented her from leaving. The woman also reported the man grabbed her breasts while he was restraining her, according to Bango.

The woman told police she was able to fight her way free from the man, however he grabbed her buttocks as she was fleeing, according to Bango.

Bango said the woman had the awareness to take a photo of the man during the encounter and furnished it to Shelton police, who disseminated it to the public.

Police later located Jgai Purcell, 21, of Shelton, who appeared to match the man in the photo. The woman was later shown a photographic array and identified Purcell as the man that restrained and assaulted her at the Riverwalk, Bango said.

Purcell was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and second-degree unlawful restraint. He was held on a $50,000 bond.

"The Shelton Police Department would like to extend a big thank you again to our dedicated detective bureau," Bango said in a news release, "for their tireless dedication and relentless efforts on this investigation."