A 21-year-old Anchorage man was arrested and charged Tuesday after assaulting a Bartlett High School student on her way to school, police said.
Rodney Stevens was charged with felony second-degree assault and is being held in Anchorage jail on $5,000 bail.
The Bartlett High freshman told police she was running late to school Tuesday morning when she noticed a man walking behind her. She stopped on school property, near 1101 N. Muldoon Road, to let him pass, police said. Stevens approached her and introduced himself as a student, said police spokeswoman Jennifer Castro.
"He then began assaulting her, striking her in the face and wrapping his arms around her neck," she said, before he left the scene.
The girl immediately ran inside and alerted authorities around 8:30 a.m.
"She had blood all over her face," Castro said.
School resource officers immediately took action, according to Lt. Anthony Henry, who oversees the 16 resource officers within the Anchorage School District.
Officers began canvassing the area and found Stevens less than a mile from the school, near Boundary Avenue and Muldoon Road, Henry said.
Stevens had blood on his hands, Castro said.
The girl was taken to the hospital with injuries, but police would not specify the extent. She was released by Tuesday afternoon, according to Sgt. Cindi Stanton with the Crimes Against Children Unit.
Stanton said police don't believe Stevens and the girl knew each other.
"It's just kind of a weird deal," Stanton said. "Just total strangers, random craziness."
The two school resource officers from East High School also responded.
Henry would not say exactly where on school grounds the assault occurred. Police were not aware of any witnesses.
Assaults on school property aren't typical, he said.
"They are not the norm, they are unusual," Henry said. "But they do occur."
Police refused to release a photo of Stevens and said he did not have a criminal history. Authorities did not know if Stevens had a history of mental illness.
Reach Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@adn.com or 257-4589.
By TEGAN HANLON