Man Charged in Girls' Attack Denied Bond

[rockin'robin]

21-Year-Old Charged With Sexual Assault, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A man police said sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl while she walked to her bus stop made his first appearance before a judge Saturday.

Matthew Watson, 21, was charged with armed sexual battery, armed robbery, kidnapping and possession of a firearm or concealed weapon by a convicted felon.

Watson was ordered held without bond.

Investigators said they linked DNA evidence to Watson through a database of convicted felons in Florida, which led to his arrest. Police said despite the crime happening on a busy street, they did not receive any significant tips or leads from the public.

The girl told police that a young white man with a gun pulled her into some woods off 103rd Street near Connie Jean Road about 6:45 a.m. Thursday, raped her and stole her BlackBerry.

Video: Sexual Battery Suspect Faces Judge

The victim ran home and told her father, who called police.

"This incident happened literally in the blink of an eye, even on a busy roadway in the morning hours," said Tom Hackney of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Hackney said there was no indication Watson knew the victim.

He said the previous felony Watson was convicted of was a burglary in 2008, which entered him in Florida's DNA database for convicted felons.


Previous Stories:
February 5, 2010: Man Arrested In Teen Girl's Attack
February 5, 2010: Manhunt Continues For Girl's Attacker
February 4, 2010: Search On For Man Who Attacked Teen

Man Charged In Girl's Attack Denied Bond - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville

 

[rockin'robin]

This happened about a half-mile from my home, and one of my sons rides the same bus as the girl....but gets on at a different bus stop....

The girl had to walk almost 2 miles from her home to meet the bus, and the bus leaves every AM at 6:45AM....so she was walking in the dark!

It's a very busy street, 4 lane highway. Unbelievable that some motorists did not see this happen.....but the neighborhood is grateful that the police have caught this man! Kudos for DNA!

Then again, so many students have to walk a very long distance to catch the bus very early in the AM. Last year, one of my sons atended a Magnet school, way across town, and had to catch the bus at 5:30AM at a bus stop that in the vicinity, was full of sexual predators, (California Avenue).....I fought this with the school board and the school, and was able to get a bus to stop in front of my house.