Woman Pushed Into Metra Train Path After Assault Attempt

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Feb 6, 2009 4:20PM

A woman was pushed into a Metra train late last night in an attempt to fight off a potential sexual assault.

The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. last night near the Metra Electric Line Grand Crossing station (pictured right) at 75th Street and South Chicago Avenue. According to Metra spokesman Michael Gillis, the suspect approached the woman, told her he had a weapon, and forced her onto the Metra station platform. Once there, he demanded a sexual act from her, she refused, and a struggle ensued. The attacker tried to push the woman into the path of an oncoming train, her head "bounced off the train," and then she fell onto the tracks while the attacker fled.

The good news is that it seems the woman's injuries are not life-threatening and police were scheduled to visit her at Northwestern Memorial Hospital this morning. We mentioned earlier this week that police were investigating a rash of assaults near Metra stations on the southeast side and it seems that this attack may have been related. [CBN, S-T]

Station Photo from Metra's website