KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A man accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl he allegedly kidnapped from a city bus stop is in the Kalamazoo County jail.
A neighbor tells 24 Hour News 8 they saw officers arrest 39-year-old Dontrel Jermaine Williams at the Clinton Avenue home where the alleged assault happened Wednesday evening. Jail and state police records show Williams is being held on a felony charges of sex assault and kidnapping; no other charges are on his record with MSP.
Around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, the 13-year-old victim called dispatchers and told them she had been abducted and was being held upstairs in a house in the 1600 block of Clinton Avenue.
Officers with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said they narrowed down their search to a specific house and found the victim inside along with the suspect.
The victim said she had been waiting for the bus in the 1200 block of Portage Street when she was approached by the suspect and forced into his car. He then drove her to the house on Clinton Avenue where he sexually assaulted her, investigators say.
Investigators say the 13-year-old girl’s mother was waiting for her. When she didn’t make it home, her mother filed a missing person report.
The victim was able to call 911 when another resident came home unexpectedly and the suspect briefly left the 13-year-old unattended.
Authorities say the suspect and victim did not know each other.
Neighbors were surprised to hear of the incident.
“He’s not the type to do anything like that. He would never kidnap anyone. He’s just not that type,” said Katoya McPherson.
Police are not confirming the suspect’s name. They plan to release it when he’s formally charged with kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct, which is expected to happen Friday afternoon.
Anyone with additional information in this case is asked to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 269.337.8994 or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100.