ASU student groped by stranger Daniel Barnes on campus

TEMPE, AZ - An Arizona State University student says she was groped by a man who followed her for approximately 10 minutes.

Courtney Baker, 19, was near Apache Boulevard and Rural Road when the man approached her around 12:30 p.m. on September 1, she said.

“He saw me with no one around,” Baker told ABC15. “He reached out, slapped my butt and said 'How’s it going baby?’”

Baker said she walked away as fast as she could, but the man followed her, even as she cut through dormitory courtyards.

For a Saturday afternoon, she said there were very few people around. She finally spotted another woman and told her what was happening. That was enough to scare the stranger away, she told ABC15.

She called the ASU police number, which she had stored in her cell phone and gave officers a description of the man.

Officers arrested Daniel Barnes, 44, of Phoenix and charged him with assault.

ASU police list several safety tips for students on its website .

“Always remain alert and aware of your surroundings, and trust your instincts. If a situation feels unsafe, take appropriate safety precautions,” it states.