LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. — The Winfield Police Department is warning residents about a pushy salesman jumping from house to house selling cleaning products.
"I'm just glad and thankful I'm not dead right now."
A Lincoln County mom is warning others about a door-to-door salesman who she said is looking to do more than just sell.
"He asked if he could talk to me. I thought it was about the product, [but] he threw himself onto me in the bedroom I pushed him off and he wouldn't basically let go," Melissa Tenshler said.
Tenshler said it happened Monday around 5 p.m. at her home just outside of Winfield.
The man came to her house peddling a cleaning product he claimed was just as good as Windex.
"He was grabbing my hand he pulled me towards him and just like forced himself on me till like he actually kissed me and everything," she said. "Yeah, on the mouth."
Tenshler's teenage daughter witnessed the whole ordeal.
“It was kinda just scary I guess because we don’t know if he had any guns like that or anything,” her daughter said.
Over on McClay Road, Tim Booloodian said it happened to him too, but his case was not as physical.
"He seemed to be pretty aggressive and didn't want to take no or I don't want too for an answer," Booloodian said.
Most of the reported sightings have been in Lincoln County not necessarily in Winfield. But the Winfield Police Department said they're getting involved not only because it's uncommon, but because it's illegal.
"We actually have an ordinance about people doing door to door sales without a permit or without a license," Chief Bill Burleson said.
The department going as far as putting up this Facebook post warning residents to look out for this white van the suspicious salesman was spotted in.
"I just wanted him out of my home and I needed other people to be aware of this man or whoever else is out there with him," Tenshler said. "Wonder who else he's doing this too."
It's a scary reminder that even in rural areas, residents should be vigilant.
Lincoln County Deputies tell us they are looking into the woman's case, and investigating the incident as an assault.
The van has California plates.
Winfield police are asking anyone who sees it to give them a call at 636-668-8100.
