An arrest has been made after a woman was sexually assaulted in Vadnais Heights earlier this week, authorities say.
On Thursday, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 21-year-old White Bear Township man who is suspected of sneaking up behind the woman, dragging her to a secluded area and sexually assaulting her, according to authorities.
“In this case, tips from the community and help from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension crime lab led to the arrest of a violent criminal suspect,” Sheriff Bob Fletcher said in a news release. “The victim provided key information to investigators that allowed us to act quickly and share accurate details with the public. The victim fought hard, knocked his glasses off, and bit his hand — and still managed to give us a detailed description of her attacker.”
The woman reported she was walking just before 8 p.m. Tuesday on the sidewalk near the intersection of Centerville Road and Pondview Drive when a man ran up from behind, forced her off the path and sexually assaulted her, according to the sheriff’s office. After the attack, the woman ran to a nearby home seeking help and was then taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.
The suspect was arrested Thursday in the 1500 block of Mead Road in White Bear Township.
“The arrest would not have happened without the victim’s courage, the community’s help, and the BCA’s professional processing of DNA evidence,” Fletcher added.
Following the arrest, investigators conducted a search warrant in which authorities said they obtained additional evidence. The suspect is being held in the Ramsey County jail, and formal charges are expected to be filed Friday.
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