A 47-year-old man was arrested Friday afternoon after police say he exposed himself in a crowded downtown area and attempted to get the attention of children.
According to a St. Augustine Police Department report, officers responded to the intersection of Hypolita and St. George streets at about 2:25 p.m. on Aug. 8 after a 911 caller reported an indecent exposure.
The witness told police he saw a man, later identified as Jewel Lee Foust, sitting on the ground with his shorts rolled up to his groin, exposing himself.
The witness told a dispatcher that Foust was waving toward passersby, including a family with two children believed to be between 5 and 7 years old.
Foust, who is homeless, was smiling at them while exposed, the complainant said.
A responding officer noted in the report that the area was especially busy with families because it was the last week of summer vacation.
While the officer was speaking with the witness, Foust allegedly walked by.
The witness immediately identified him, and police took him into custody.
Foust was booked into the St. Johns County Jail on a felony charge of lewd or lascivious exhibition in the presence of a victim under the age of 16.
The arresting officer also noted there have been multiple recent calls involving similar allegations against Foust, but none of those complainants were willing to give sworn statements.
Foust has several prior criminal cases, including a trespassing arrest in Palatka in January.
