A Niles woman, 18, fought off an attacker who grabbed her near 9th and Decker streets late Sunday night, screaming for help until a passerby intervened and the attacker fled in his vehicle. Police say the man then tried to strike the bystander with his car before speeding away, kicking off an ongoing investigation, with a 28-year-old man later taken into custody.
A Vehicle Spotted Twice Before the Attack
According to woodtv.com, officers with the Niles Police Department responded to the area around 11 p.m. Sunday for a report of an assault and attempted sexual assault. The 18-year-old told investigators she had noticed the same vehicle earlier in the day, then later spotted it again following her on 9th Street near a secluded dirt road, abc57 reported.
The driver eventually got out of the vehicle and physically assaulted her, according to the outlet's report, restricting her breathing and attempting to take her clothes off. She fought back and screamed, which alerted a nearby man who intervened, causing the suspect to flee the scene. As he left, police say he allegedly tried to strike the bystander with his car.
Evidence Left Behind and a Camera Network That Tracked a Vehicle
Investigators recovered hair, the woman's damaged cellphone, shoe impressions and other items believed to belong to the suspect at the scene, per the same account from abc57. A Berrien County sheriff's deputy then helped narrow down the search by using the Flock camera system to identify a vehicle consistent with the one the victim had described.
That same video and vehicle information reportedly linked the car to a similar incident previously reported in a different jurisdiction, though details of that earlier case were not specified. A 28-year-old man was later located by the South Bend Police Department and taken into custody — but on an unrelated warrant, not directly tied to the Niles case, the report notes.
Charges Filed, But Custody Status Still Murky
Woodtv.com reports the man is facing charges of assault with intent to murder, criminal sexual conduct, assault with a dangerous weapon and stalking. However, accounts of his custody status diverge: the suspect remained at a correctional facility pending further investigation and charges, while wsbt.com reported that his name had not been released and that he remains in jail pending charges.
The Niles Police Department is continuing to investigate and has asked anyone with information about the case to come forward. FOX 17 West Michigan News also reported on the incident. The Herald-Palladium reported in August that the Berrien County sheriff had addressed transparency concerns about the camera network, which had been in place at 20 county locations for more than four years and was considered a valuable tool.
