Adrian
A Florida man, DAVID EARL GIPSON, 40, was apprehended in a wooded area in Washington County after a woman he allegedly assaulted and held captive in a storage container managed to escape. According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, GIPSON faces charges of sexual battery, aggravated battery, and false imprisonment.
The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, sustained severe injuries and required immediate medical attention when emergency services and law enforcement arrived at the scene. Deputies reported that the victim stated GIPSON visited her residence, became enraged, and began attacking her. She alleged that he bound and gagged her, beat her, and threatened her life.
GIPSON is also accused of sexually assaulting the victim and beating her with a handgun and a blunt object before forcibly removing her from the residence. He allegedly used her mother-in-law’s vehicle to transport her to his home, where the abuse continued. The victim was later placed in a container in the yard, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
During a news conference, Sheriff KEVIN CREWS described the victim’s harrowing ordeal: “She was naked, still handcuffed, and duct-taped around her mouth. He put a rope over her neck and tucked her legs up underneath her. If you can picture what a hog tie looks like, that’s what he did to her. She stated she got very hot and thought she was going to suffocate and die.”
Miraculously, the victim managed to free her legs and kick open the plywood container, escaping the shed. “She got out of the shed and then ran for her life,” Sheriff CREWS said. “At one point, she used a tree to remove the duct tape from around her mouth. She made her way to the edge of a roadway, where a passerby saw her, stopped, picked her up, and immediately called 911.”
In a tragic turn of events, another woman, 74-year-old LETTIE COOPER COLLINS, the victim’s mother-in-law, was found dead in her home, beaten to death. The sheriff’s office is seeking murder charges against GIPSON in connection with COLLINS’ death.
GIPSON has an extensive criminal history, with approximately 33 felony charges dating back to 1999, including multiple counts of burglary, armed burglary, and arson. He has been incarcerated eight times.
Sheriff CREWS expressed his condolences to the victim’s family, stating, “We apologize for the horrific event that has happened to this family.” He also acknowledged the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies in apprehending GIPSON and thanked the community for their support and patience.
The investigation remains active. For further details, visit the [Washington County Sheriff’s Office](https://www.wcso.us).
