Petite Amber Keller doesn't look like she could take on an attacker and win. But she did, with the help of two other University of Utah students, Julie Willis and Joanne Shaw. Tuesday university officials and police recognized their bravery with plaques and kudos.
"We are all citizens of an increasingly shrinking world. We can only make life work if we work together," said U. president Bernie Machen in recognizing the actions of the three young women.
The women involved "did everything right" in a type of incident that is rare on the U. campus, said U. police chief Ben Lemmon.
On Dec. 10, Keller was returning to her car parked on the circle in front of the university's Park administration building when she sensed someone behind her. As she opened the car door, she was attacked by a man who demanded her keys. As the confrontation escalated, she was forced to the floor of the car but staged a vigorous defense, hitting the man, honking the car horn with her foot and screaming. At one juncture, the man threatened to kill her if she did not quit honking the horn, a police report says.
Shaw and Willis heard her cries and after debating momentarily if the situation was real, they ran toward the car, "putting themselves in harm's way," said Lemmon.
When they arrived on the scene, the attacker exited the car on the driver's side with the comment that "This lady is crazy," trying to pass off the attack as a quarrel. He then walked off. The women immediately notified campus police, who soon located the alleged assailant just off campus. The women identified him as the attacker, and he was arrested.
Adolph Grimmett, 39, has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; attempted theft, a third-degree felony; simple assault, a class B misdemeanor; and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor, according to court records. He waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday before 3rd District Judge Dennis Fuchs and now is scheduled for arraignment on Feb. 3, court records say.
"It was my best Christmas present, knowing she (Keller) was safe. She did everything correctly," said Lemmon. "These women are all real heroes."
"I was very surprised by the attack," Keller told the Deseret News. "I have always felt the campus was a safe place. I reacted instinctively. I wanted to protect myself. I found it's up to the individual in a circumstance like this to decide how to react." She said she isn't certain whether the attacker was bent on rape or wanted to steal her car. Although he told her he only wanted the car, he showed no inclination to let her go, even when she told him he could have the car if he would release her, the police report said.
University police have used the incident to encourage students to attend courses focused on personal safety. A Rape Aggression Defense course is available for a $25 fee. The classes are open to women 12 and older. Risk reduction and realistic self-defense tactics and techniques are included, said U. police Sgt. Lynn Rohland. New equipment is being added to the course and new instructors trained, she said. The next courses will be in late spring.
E-mail: tvanleer@desnews.com