PORT ANGELES — A man described as homeless with a history of alleged lewd behavior toward women was arrested Christmas morning for investigation of indecent exposure, Port Angeles police said.

Michael Lee Lamb Fox, 32, was incarcerated at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday morning in the Clallam County jail on $5,000 bond while awaiting his first District Court appearance.

Fox denied deliberately exposing himself, telling police he was urinating in an alley.

The incident occurred after Lamb allegedly walked west past a woman while she was walking eastbound on Front Street east of downtown Port Angeles near Eunice Street at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report that said Fox is homeless.

The woman told police that after about a half block, Fox turned around, ran past her, stopped at Francis Street, turned around again, and faced her with his penis in his hand, shaking it at her.

The woman, who said her headphones were in so she did not hear if Fox said anything, told police she walks a lot and has seen Fox in the same area numerous times.

She described him as white, 6-feet, 2-inches, with a heavy build and wearing a tan Carhartt jacket and a red hoodie.

The woman identified Fox from a booking photo, police said.

According to the arrest report, Fox was arrested in January for harassment after he reportedly exposed himself to a female employee of a coffee shop and left a sexually explicit note and graffiti on the building.

Court records for the cases were unavailable Tuesday.

Fox was arrested for investigation of indecent exposure in the area of Front and Francis streets.

He told Port Angeles Police Sgt. Kori Malone that he had been urinating in an alley near Front and Francis when he heard someone behind him.

Fox said he turned around, saw a woman walking and must have startled her.

He later admitted passing the woman but said he was in the alley and looking for someplace to go to the bathroom, according to the arrest report.

Malone questioned Fox immediately after the incident was reported, finding him in the same area but lacking the woman’s statement.

Fox denied exposing himself and said he thought someone had been chasing him in a truck, Malone said.

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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@ peninsuladailynews.com.