MOULTRIE — A sex offender was apprehended after he allegedly tried to sexually assault a 14-year-old girl Sunday afternoon.

Derek Terrell Davis, 37, of 133 Denham Road in Norman Park, was charged with cruelty to children (first degree), criminal attempt to commit child molestation, failure to report as a sexual offender (second offense) and probation violation.

Moultrie police officers were called to a house on Northside Drive at 4:36 p.m. Sunday about a possible assault. The officers spoke with a woman, who stated her 14-year-old daughter was walking home on 11th Avenue Northwest when she was approached by a man, later identified as Davis, police reports stated.

When the assailant reached the girl, she stated he threw her to the ground and tried to pull her shorts down. She tried kicking him in the stomach as a way to escape, but he allegedly grabbed her, threw her to the ground a second time and allegedly tried to rape her, the reports said.

The girl told officers she punched Davis in the face and was able to get up and run away. The girl sent a text message to her aunt about the incident, and the aunt met with the girl and called 911. Officers were also told Davis was still in the area visiting family when they arrived at the scene, the reports said.

A witness told officers an apartment number where they could find Davis, and a woman who answered the door there allegedly told them Davis was not there. As the witness went back in stating she would look for Davis, several people told officers Davis was trying to climb out of a window but ran back into the apartment when officers checked the window. The witness convinced Davis to turn himself in, and he was placed under arrest and was taken to Colquitt County Jail after allegedly being identified by the 14-year-old girl, the reports said.

Other arrests:

Moultrie Police

• A juvenile girl was charged Sunday with two counts of simple battery.

• Mary Young Johnson, 51, of 905 Eighth Ave. S.E., was charged Sunday with trespassing.

• Torrance Tyrone Pinkins, 18, of 1759 Sylvester Highway, Lot 33, was charged Sunday with reckless driving and duty to stop at the scene of an accident with damage.

• Tony Lee Herring, 44, of 160 Industrial Drive, was charged Saturday with DUI and an open container violation.

• Wallace Reid Hudson, 39, of 414 Eighth St. S.W., was charged Saturday with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

• Melito Diaz Morales, 19, of 5555 Baggs Ferry Road, Lot 5, in Camilla, was charged Saturday with driving without a license and failure to yield to a funeral procession.