Two men - both Tiger Transit employees - are charged in the sexual assault of an 18-year-old Auburn University student.
The Auburn Police Department on Monday announced the arrests of James Don Johnson, 32, and Tony Martin Patillo, 51. Both men are charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy in connection with the attack that happened Friday night on the campus shuttle.
Authorities provided this account of what happened: About 11:50 p.m. Friday, Auburn police received a report of a man exposing himself while standing over a female in the 700 block of Aspen Heights Lane in Auburn. Officers arrived on the scene and found Patillo near the roadway and detained him.
They weren't, however, able to find the female at the time of the initial report. Patillo was arrested on four counts of public lewdness and taken to the Lee County Jail.
As the investigation continued, detectives determined that the female, who "appeared to be incapacitated," got on the bus near Magnolia Avenue in Auburn. While on the bus, she was sexually assaulted by Patillo, an employee of First Transit which operates Tiger Transit.
Further investigation showed that Johnson, who was driving the bus, engaged in actions to perpetuate the crime while Patillo was in the rear of the bus raping the victim. Patillo later exited the bus near Aspen Heights Lane with the female victim, and it was at that point he was seen by passersby standing over her.
Police said they were ultimately able to identify, locate and interview the 18-year-old victim.
The suspects were employees of First Transit, the contractor hired by Auburn to provide late night transportation service for students. The contractor is required to conduct thorough background checks on its employees and has terminated the employment of both suspects. We are evaluating the future of the university's relationship with First Transit.
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/i...pe_suspects_ad_for_bu.html#incart_river_index
The Auburn Police Department on Monday announced the arrests of James Don Johnson, 32, and Tony Martin Patillo, 51. Both men are charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy in connection with the attack that happened Friday night on the campus shuttle.
Authorities provided this account of what happened: About 11:50 p.m. Friday, Auburn police received a report of a man exposing himself while standing over a female in the 700 block of Aspen Heights Lane in Auburn. Officers arrived on the scene and found Patillo near the roadway and detained him.
They weren't, however, able to find the female at the time of the initial report. Patillo was arrested on four counts of public lewdness and taken to the Lee County Jail.
As the investigation continued, detectives determined that the female, who "appeared to be incapacitated," got on the bus near Magnolia Avenue in Auburn. While on the bus, she was sexually assaulted by Patillo, an employee of First Transit which operates Tiger Transit.
Further investigation showed that Johnson, who was driving the bus, engaged in actions to perpetuate the crime while Patillo was in the rear of the bus raping the victim. Patillo later exited the bus near Aspen Heights Lane with the female victim, and it was at that point he was seen by passersby standing over her.
Police said they were ultimately able to identify, locate and interview the 18-year-old victim.
The suspects were employees of First Transit, the contractor hired by Auburn to provide late night transportation service for students. The contractor is required to conduct thorough background checks on its employees and has terminated the employment of both suspects. We are evaluating the future of the university's relationship with First Transit.
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/i...pe_suspects_ad_for_bu.html#incart_river_index