A Crystal Lake man was charged with attempting to sexually assault a random woman in downtown Chicago in broad daylight before four good Samaritans rushed to her aid as he violently attacked the victim.
The Chicago Police Department’s Public Transportation Section arrested Garland Benton, 45, of Crystal Lake, around 7:34 a.m. on Monday in the 2500 block of South Archer Avenue in Chicago.
Police officials said Benton was identified as the suspect who battered, sexually abused and attempted to sexually assault a 20-year-old woman on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago an hour earlier.
Police radio traffic indicated the incident occurred in the Grant Park North Garage, 25 North Michigan Avenue.
Benton also pushed a 65-year-old woman who attempted to intervene before fleeing the scene and being located by officers a short time later, police officials said.
Benton was charged with attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault causing bodily harm, aggravated criminal sexual abuse causing bodily harm and two counts of aggravated battery in a public place.
Prosecutors said the 20-year-old victim was on her way to work and parked her car at the Millennium Street Parking garage.
She began walking from her car when Benton, a stranger to her, allegedly grabbed her by the arms and threw her to the ground.
Benton got on top of the victim, striking her in the face and taking off her shirt, exposing her sex organs, prosecutors said.
Benton continued the assault as the victim struggled with him while screaming for help as he held her down, prosecutors said.
The victim scratched at Benton’s face to try to get him to stop and continued screaming for help.
A 65-year-old woman who had just arrived in the garage and is a co-worker of the victim heard the victim and ran toward her and saw Benton sexually abusing the woman.
Prosecutors said Benton began trying to pull the victim’s pants down during the assault and the 65-year-old witness struck Benton on the head with a water bottle to try to get him to stop.
She also took a photo of Benton at some point and later gave it to the police.
Benton turned and knocked the witness to the ground as she tried to help the victim, prosecutors said.
Two other witnesses were also on their way to work when they heard the victim’s screams for help and they ran to her aid and saw Benton trying to pull his pants up.
A fourth witness also ran to the scene to help and saw Benton on top of the victim grabbing at her pants. The witness grabbed a wet floor sign and began striking Benton with it, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Benton tried to “charge back” at the victim, who was bleeding, after the witnesses intervened.
The four bystanders were ultimately able to stop the assault and call 911 and Benton fled the area.
Surveillance video captured the incident and Benton fleeing, prosecutors said. In addition to the 65-year-old witness, one of the other witnesses also took a photo of Benton.
CTA Mass Transit was notified of the incident and was able to track Benton through surveillance video at the Monroe Street CTA Station.
Benton put on a tan hat, a pink scarf around his face and neck and a red jacket over his black sweater before getting onto the Red Line train, prosecutors said.
Surveillance video also showed Benton outside the Orange Line stop at 26th Street and Halsted Avenue shortly after where he changed his jeans and sweater and waited at the CTA bus stop before being taken into custody.
Benton was positively identified by two of the witnesses during a show-up. The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment.
She suffered several scratches on her chest, neck and face and had bruising to her face and neck, prosecutors said.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Benton pending trial and the request was granted by Judge James Vincent Murphy II, court records show.
Benton remains held in the Cook County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 22 for a status hearing.