SEATTLE — A man who prosecutors say terrorized a Seattle woman by exposing himself to her outside her apartment building, and then followed her to work and around her neighborhood, was charged with indecent exposure and stalking this week.
The 27-year-old victim, who works and lives within a two-block area on Capitol Hill, told Seattle police that she got home from work on Mar. 21, changed her clothes and went downstairs to smoke a cigarette when a man approached and asked for a smoke.
She told him she didn’t have another one and then proceeded to look at her phone when she suddenly realized he was about two steps away from her with his arms extended, probable cause documents said.
Court documents said the woman told police she “freaked out” and started screaming, “Get away from me,” as she walked away from the man to go back to her apartment.
The man followed, stood between her and the front door, refused to let her go inside and told her to put her keys away, according to the victim.
Likely alerted by the her screaming, the victim said a woman who lives across the street opened her door and asked if she needed help.
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The victim said the man was trying to attack her and then called 911.
It was at that point that the man pulled his pants down and exposed his erect penis to the victim, court documents said.
According to probable cause documents, on Apr. 7, the victim saw the same man follow her in to work. The bartender told the man to leave, and he did.
Police said the victim estimated that she saw the man 10 to 12 occasions, both between the first and second incidents described to police, as well as afterward and more recently, around her home and work.
The victim said she’s had to cross the street in the same block multiple times to avoid the man and that when he sees her, he walks toward her until she pulls out her phone to call 911, documents said.
The man, identified as 54-year-old Daniel A. Podell, was arrested on May 6.
Prosecutors requested that Podell’s bail be set at $50,000 because they’re concerned he’ll commit another sexually motivated act.
Podell has convictions for burglary, indecent exposure, burglary with sexual motivation, harassment, fourth-degree assault, criminal trespass and use of a weapon, records show.