After rape, victim leads police to bus carrying her attacker, prosecutors say

A woman who was sexually assaulted Tuesday while waiting at a Far South Side bus stop helped lead police to her attacker who was arrested after he got off a CTA bus.

The man accused in the attack, 25-year-old Demetrius Clinton, allegedly told officers, “I’m going to jail. I’m going down. We all know that,” as they read him his Miranda rights.

Citing that alleged admission, Judge John F. Lyke Jr. ordered Clinton held without bail Thursday on charges of criminal sexual assault and robbery during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building,

The 46-year-old woman had gotten off work and was waiting at a bus stop about 6:15 p.m. in the 10800 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when she said Clinton approached her and asked a question about the bus route, Cook County prosecutors said in court.

Clinton walked away but then returned, grabbing her and dragging her into nearby bushes, prosecutors said, where he raped her and stole her cell phone and wallet.

After Clinton ran off, the woman was walking back to her work when a coworker who was driving by saw her sobbing, prosecutors said. The woman got into the coworker’s car so they could drive her home but along the way she spotted Clinton on the street.

Her coworker called police and they followed Clinton as he got onto a CTA bus, prosecutors said.

Chicago police records show that as officers were responding to the coworker’s call, the woman flagged down another officer as she and her coworker drove behind a #4 bus and told the officer her attacker was inside. Police stopped the bus in the 10000 block of South Cottage Grove, and the woman identified Clinton.

Officers were placing Clinton in custody when he “pulled away” and ran, according to a police report. He was taken into custody after a brief foot case.

Prosecutors said police found the woman’s wallet and cell phone on Clinton when he was arrested, as well as blood on his clothing that authorities believe was the woman’s but has not been confirmed yet through forensic testing.

An assistant public defender for Clinton said he was working on getting his GED and employed as a temporary worker in warehouses and on assembly lines.

Lyke set his next court appearance for Nov. 21.

In addition to the charges related to the attack, Clinton was also found wanted on warrants charging him with reckless conduct and retail theft in unrelated incidents. He was held without bail on both and issued separate court dates.