Article published October 16, 2003
Juvenile is arrested in rape case; police say suspect took woman from mall
Toledo police Sgt. George Kral, left, and Lt. Rick Reed answer reporters' questions about the rape suspect's arrest.
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THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER
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By IGNAZIO MESSINA
BLADE STAFF WRITER
A 17-year-old was arrested yesterday and charged with kidnapping and twice raping a woman after forcing her into her car at knifepoint as she left work at Westfield Shoppingtown Franklin Park.
Lamond Johnson of 18 City Park Ave., Lot 39, was being held last night at the Lucas County Juvenile Justice Center. He is charged with delinquency in connection with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and two counts of rape, police officials announced during a news conference yesterday.
"This was such a high-profile crime," police Chief Mike Navarre said. "This arrest was extremely important, and we wanted everyone to know a suspect was caught."
The Johnson youth is accused of using a knife to force the 41-year-old woman into her car about 9:10 p.m. Monday.
He drove the victim's car from the mall to the parking lot of an apartment building near Sylvania Avenue and Talmadge Road and raped her, police said.
He drove to the area of Western Avenue and the Anthony Wayne Trail, then to the area of Spencer Street and South Avenue, where he used the phone, police said. Johnson then drove to a secluded area in the vicinity of City Park Avenue and the Trail, where he raped her again, police said. About 11:30 p.m. Monday, he got out of the car and fled on foot from the location, which is near his home.
The victim then drove herself to police headquarters downtown to report the assault. She was treated at a local hospital.
Police said Johnson and the victim talked during the ordeal, and he threatened to kill her with the knife.
Toledo police detectives were acting on an anonymous tip when they arrived at Johnson's home about 2:30 p.m. yesterday.
He was there with his mother and two other people - a man and a woman - police Lt. Rick Reed said.
The suspect voluntarily went with police detectives to be questioned at the northwest district station where he made statements that corroborated information supplied by the victim and implicated himself in the crimes. After about an hour of questioning, the detectives contacted the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office to have Johnson charged.
Evidence was taken from Johnson's home, Lieutenant Reed said. Officials declined to say what was seized.
Toledo police Sgt. George Kral, who supervises sexual assault and domestic violence investigations, said Johnson will face a detention hearing today in Lucas County Juvenile Court.
"We have spoken to the victim, and she and her husband are relieved [the suspect] has been arrested," he said.
Three Toledo City councilmen, all Democrats who are seeking election to council in November, arrived at yesterday's news conference after one of them was informed about it by Megan Vahey, Mayor Jack Ford's executive assistant.
Ms. Vahey said District 5 Councilman Ellen Grachek was told of the news conference because the attack occurred in her district. "As protocol, the mayor invites council people [to matters that occur in their district]. We let her know as soon as we had information that he had been arrested," Ms. Vahey said. "I don't know how Councilmen [Frank] Szolloszi and [Karyn] McConnell got there, but they're both concerned with police matters and have been champions of those issues."
Mr. Szollosi said the crime is indicative of the need for more police officers in the city.
"We need to increase our resources to solve more crimes like this," he said. "We've been pressuring the mayor to increase [the number of police officers] for public safety."
Mayor Ford announced Tuesday that Toledo will add 50 officers by the end of 2004 to offset a large number of retirements.
After the news conference, Chief Navarre said police are still investigating two other recent rapes:
w On Oct. 5, a man grabbed a South Toledo woman from behind, dragged her to the rear of a Tiffany Square Drive apartment building, and raped her. The 20-year-old woman was on a front porch at the apartment building, which is off Hill Avenue between Wenz and Byrne roads, when she was grabbed.
w On Saturday, a man abducted a woman from outside a beauty supply store at Monroe Street and Auburn Avenue, sexually assaulted her, and put her into the trunk of her car. The 46-year-old West Toledo woman was locked in the trunk for at least 19 hours, police said.
"We suspected there were three different suspects, and we have been getting calls on the other [two rape cases] and are following up on each one. Those cases are not any less important," the chief said.
Blade staff writer Tom Troy contributed to this report.
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