South Toledoan charged with rape, burglary

1/29/2008

A South Toledo man accused of breaking into an apartment Jan. 11 and raping the woman who lived there at gunpoint waived his preliminary hearing in Toledo Municipal Court yesterday and his case was bound over to the Lucas County grand jury, authorities said.

Damon Miller, 33, of 5614 Ryewyck Drive, was charged with aggravated burglary and rape. He also was charged with two counts of burglary and receiving stolen property based on items found in his car, according to court records.

Mr. Miller was being held in the county jail in lieu of $305,000 bond.

About 5 p.m. Friday, Toledo police Officer Melissa Stephens said she noticed a man acting in a suspicious manner. The officer said the man made an illegal U-turn and she stopped his car.

Officer Stephens, who took the initial rape report, said she questioned the driver about the sexual assault. He denied involvement, but later voluntarily provided his DNA for police to compare with evidence recovered from the rape, police said.

Mr. Miller is accused of entering an apartment on Walnut Circle. Mr. Miller, who had a handgun, forced a woman inside to the floor and raped her, police said.