A truck driver accused of abducting and raping a woman in Pennsylvania last week was taken into custody on Thursday evening.
57-year-old truck driver Jerome Keyes was arraigned on October 25th in Erie, Pennsylvania, though the incident is said to have occurred on October 17th at around 1:30 a.m.
According to Erie News Now, Keyes allegedly abducted a woman at knifepoint as she was walking near 7th Street and Parade Street, forced her into the cab of his semi truck and brought her to an empty lot at 12th Street and Chestnut Street where police say he “violently raped” his victim for almost an hour.
The woman was eventually able to escape the truck without any clothing and made it to a home in the 500 block of West 10th Street where she banged on the door and received help from the resident, who called 911.
Police then acquired surveillance footage from the lot and were able to determine the trucking company, Wayne W. Sell Trucking Corporation. The company was contacted and representatives confirmed that one of their drivers fit the description and was in Erie at the time of the crime and the victim was able to identify Keyes in a photo lineup.
Keyes was arrested at around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday and is currently being held in the Erie County Prison on $250,000 bond and his tractor trailer has been towed to the Erie city garage to be processed for evidence.
