Erie police ask for help identifying semi truck following alleged rape

Police in Erie, Pennsylvania, are asking for help from the public in identifying a truck allegedly used in the abduction and sexual assault of a woman earlier this week.

Erie police say that the attack took place around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 17.

Authorities say that a woman was walking home from the Shell gas station at East Sixth and Parade Street when grabbed by a man with a knife and forced into a truck without a trailer. The woman said that the man drove to West 13th and Chestnut Street, where he raped her. The woman was able to escape but was cut on the leg by the knife as she fled, according to GoErie.

The suspect is described as a black male in his 40’s who is around 5’6″ inches tall and 250 pounds. He is reportedly bald and clean shaven.

Erie police say that after looking through surveillance footage, it appears that the truck driver was “casing” Parade street from about 11 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. when the woman was abducted.

Investigators are asking for help in identifying the truck, which was captured on surveillance footage. Anyone with information on the suspect or the truck is asked to call Erie police Detective Sean Bogart at (814) 870-1191.