Man charged with sexual assault of 16-year-old girl on Beach Park bike path

A man has been charged with sexually assaulting a teen girl on a bike path in suburban Beach Park after investigators connected his DNA with a hair he allegedly left at the scene.

Tramane Johnson, 27, is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in connection with the attack, which happened June 8 on the Robert McClory Bike Path, the Lake County sheriff’s office said.

The 16-year-old was walking on the path when a man emerged from the tree line, grabbed her by the neck, pushed her to the ground and sexually assaulted her, the sheriff’s office said.

A witness heard the girl screaming, and began yelling to the girl to run for help, the sheriff’s office said. The attacker ran and the witness called 911. The girl was taken to a hospital for her injuries.

Investigators recovered a hair sample from the scene, and it was matched to Johnson from CODIS, a DNA database, the sheriff’s office said. Johnson’s DNA was in the database due to out of state weapons charges.

Johnson was taken into custody without incident Wednesday after authorities surveilled his Beach Park home, the sheriff’s office said. A search warrant was issued for the residence.

Johnson is awaiting a court hearing at the Lake County Jail.