YORK, Pa. — Police have arrested a man in connection to a sexual assault that occurred near the York County Rail Trail.
Randy-Jay Jones, 41, is facing rape among other related charges for his role in the incident.
On Februrary 28 around 6:55 p.m., police received a report of a sexual assault that had occurred in the area of Kings Mill Road and the York County Rail Trail.
Police spoke with a victim who said she was walking north in the area of Kings Mill Road and Jessop Place.
She told authorities that she was approached from behind by a larger black man who grabbed her, pushed her down, and then forced her to his vehicle.
“My life literally became an episode of Law & Order: SVU in the blink of an eye, and I never thought it would happen to me, but it did."
The victim reported that the man, later identified as Jones, drove her to an unknown location and threatened to kill her if she didn't do what he told her do while displaying a knife.
At one point, Jones made the victim remove her pink Fitbit watch and place it on the dashboard of the vehicle.
Then, the victim said Jones raped her and dropped her off at Da Chop Shop barbershop in the 500 block of South Queen Street.
On March 4, the victim received information that Jones was her rapist. She described him as a tall black male with a husky build and "eyes popping out of his head," according to the court documents.
After an investigation, police found that Jones' home was only two or three houses down from the barbershop where the victim was dropped off.
A search warrant for Jones' home in the 500 block of South Queen Street was executed, and police found items belonging to the victim including her FitBit and clothes that Jones was wearing during the incident.
Those who regularly use the trails say they are taken back by the news.
“It’s terrible,” said Travis Kurowski of York. “We assume that this place is a safe place to ride bikes and jog,” he added.
Others believe there needs to be more eyes on the area.
“You know a couple of officers on bikes and stuff to keep an eye on what’s going on,” said Owen Highem of York.
When police interviewed Jones, he first denied being on the Rail Trail in the area of the victim on February 28.
According to court documents, Jones then admitted to walking on the Rail Trail, but said he never made contact with the victim.
Then, Jones admitted to hugging the victim, but not knocking her down.
Court documents state that Jones then admitted to hugging the victim forcefully and knocking her over by accident.
Eventually, Jones admitted that he forced the victim into the vehicle, but claimed that she consented to sexual acts.
Jones faces various charges including rape and kidnapping.
He is being held at York County Prison on $200,000 bail.