Note: James Tussing died in February 2017, before the case was resolved.
James Tussing, a 72-year-old homeless man, was arrested on two felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition early this morning after exposing himself to two teen-age girls at the Flagler Beach pier.
The incident took place after midnight near the A-frame of the pier. According to one of the girls, who is 15, both girls were taking a shower at the open-air shower near the pier, where Tussing had followed them. He told them he was waiting for his ride and asked them if they needed a ride home. The girls told him they had a ride and were getting ready to leave.
At that point Tussing allegedly asked them if they wanted “some of this” as he put his hand down his pants, rubbed himself briefly then pulled out his penis. The girls said “they did not and walked away,” according to Tussing’s arrest report. He then followed them and said he’d been kidding. The girls walked back toward the pier bathrooms and told their friends what had happened. One of the girls told police she was offended and disgusted. The other girl was visibly upset and vomited, the report states.
The girls are friends, and one of the girls’ mother was picking both up for the night. She immediately responded to the scene after the incident, took custody of both children, and said she wanted to pursue charges on behalf of both. Police could not reach the father of the second child on his phone.
Tussing, who has no previous arrest record in Florida, told police that the girls had initiated a conversation with him. He told them he was waiting for a friend. The girls left and went to the ocean. He said he watched them, then saw them return and tell him they were going home. “He then stated he was aroused from the verbal contact with the girls,” his arrest report states, “but denied exposing himself.” Nevertheless, he said he did touch himself, the report states. And when a different Flagler Beach police officer took over the interview, Tussing confessed to exposing himself, according to the arrest report and asking the girls if they wanted “some of this.”
Tussing, throughout the interview, blamed the girls for wearing bikinis at such a late hour, according to the report—a common tactic among sexual offenders who turn the blame on their victims.
Tussing faces two third-degree felony counts. Thursday afternoon he was still being held at the Flagler County jail on $10,000 bail. In Mid-May, Mark Hall, a 60-year-old deaf man, was arrested for exposing himself to a young girl on Shady Lane in Palm Coast. Hall also remains in jail on $10,000 bond. His arraignment and conditional release is scheduled for June 15.
Mr. Wiggles says
At 72, the only arousal I get is when the wifey makes me a bowl of watermelon and cantaloupe !!
Theresa Cecil says
Last Sunday in the daytime my ten year old Granddaughter was wearing a two piece swimsuit on Flagler Beach…As she walked over to rinse sand off at the shower she said a man stared at her in such a creepy way that she felt very upset and frightened, and she also thought he took her picture..she started to cry as she asked her Mother to go over to see him..She pointed the man out to her Mom but they decided to leave because my Grandaughter felt scared of him by the way he was looking at her .She called me up to tell me this story because I live in NJ..
We just spoke to them because they just read this story and the picture of the homeless man James Darrell Tussing is the same man that stared her down and may have snapped a picture of her while she was rinsing..
Outsider says
Not that this has anything to do with the crime, but what parents leave their teenage kids at the beach unsupervised “after midnight?” I have never even let my daughters hang around that place during the day alone. My then sixteen year old was down there with some friends when a man she described as “around 30” started hitting on her. It’s Perv City as far as I’m concerned.
MarkingTheDays says
Weird, he’s not even a transexual.
THE VOICE OF REASON says
Outsider: The story did say that the mother of one of the girls was there to pick them both up for the night, as though it was a timed meeting — perhaps even coordinated with parents of the other girl. So perhaps there was some sort of organized teen event, such as a bonfire, that had just ended.
Joe says
He was probably so excited that he got hard on that he wanted to show the world.
Revolted says
Unfortunately the beach from about Ormond by the Sea and north is a magnet for perverts. I have been accosted and had perverts expose themselves so many times on the beach that I gave up counting. The first clue is if you see a guy fully dressed, when it’s 99 degrees out, carrying nothing or a little hand towel, strolling in your vicinity when you’re alone and what they usually do is sit up toward the dunes on their little towel and plan their disgusting tricks. I have chased them, called the cops, yelled at them, and in one case, followed one up the stairs and down A1A over the years. I always wonder what they think their “victims” are going to do – – run over there and say “Oh thank you, I’ve been just hoping some perv would come down here and expose himself”? It’s sickening and to me, they’re always so obvious.
Retiredlawenforcement says
MarkingTheDays makes a GOOD point, Maybe he just want “dressed up ” but was just every much the woman in spirit. Get ready this is just the beginning.
Retiredlawenforcement says
Flagler County is as from I have seen lately becoming a ‘SANTUARY CITY” for all kinds of LOWLIFES, THUGS AND WEIRDOS” I have been seeing them walking up and down US 1 with their backpacks setting up camps around the wooded area of the library and begging around the on and off ramps of 95. There have been more and more burglaries, car breaking and assaults in this county then ever before. I never thought Palm Coast would ever have become this SEEDY! Flagler Beach on the other hand has always been run down eyesore reminiscent of the Jersey shore in the early 90’s I guess we can expect more of these ‘PERVERTS ” to decend on our once beautiful community the politicians don’t seem to be doing anything about it!
Tired of it says
Those girls should have been home where they belong at that hour instead of being in a place where such a perverted traumatic incident could occur. The dirt bag who did it needs to stay in jail so as not to harm some other young girl. The parents should be ashamed of themselves for allowing the girls to be out that late alone.
obi wan says
Nothing good ever happens after midnight… have to agree with Outsider, they’re still ‘kids’.
Country Rock Dog says
On one hand liberal minded parents feel the need to allow their offspring to experience life & all it’s wonders to behold right up until it has come to light their free range children have come up missing without a trace never to be seen again. On the other hand with the knowledge that vermin, cretins, skells, screwheads, bums, hobos, vagrants & dirtbags are afoot a group of concerned parents must take the initiative to vigorously convince the errant travelers that it’d be best they move on quickly & don’t return.