COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Lincoln Park runner who was groped and kissed near the zoo Wednesday was able to escape her attacker by suggesting the pair hold hands and walk back to her apartment, prosecutors said.
Once there, the 24-year-old woman alerted building security, and Timothy Reliford, 31, was arrested a few blocks away, Assistant State's Attorney Joe Dibella said during a bond hearing Friday.
The attack happened about 9:50 p.m. Wednesday as the woman jogged in the 2200 block of North Cannon Drive, authorities said. Reliford allegedly approached from behind and pulled what appeared to be a gun.
He told the woman she would die if she made any noise, Dibella said. Reliford proceeded to grope and kiss her, push her against a tree and press against her, according to prosecutors. The 24 year old begged him to stop.
Dibella said the woman was able to defuse the situation by asking if the pair could hold hands and walk instead of having Reliford touch her. He demanded they "French kiss" first, then walked to the woman's high-rise, Dibella said.
At the building, the man hugged and kissed her, and asked if they could be in touch, prosecutors said.
The woman immediately notified security and called police, who arrested Reliford in the 300 block of West Armitage Avenue at about 10:20 p.m., according to an arrest report. He told authorities he'd watched the woman jogging on previous occasions, Dibella said, and police recovered a BB gun.
According to prosecutors, Reliford admitted he touched and kissed the woman and threatened her with a BB gun. Police uncovered surveillance footage that shows the pair walking near Fullerton and Cannon.
Reliford was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a weapon.
Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered him held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
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