WTAE
July 9, 2015
Rochester Borough police say the man who allegedly raped his girlfriend early July 2 and then broke into three homes to hide was apprehended in Florida Monday.
Richard E. Jackson II, 35, found by the Broward County Sheriff’s department. Rochester police say this was a joint effort by the Broward County Sheriff’s office, Beaver Police Deptartment, Beaver Sheriff’s Department, and Beaver detectives.
Inside the third home, which Jackson entered to hide, police said he assaulted a woman and her child.
That woman stabbed Jackson before he left her residence. He had been on the run since early Tuesday morning.
By Wednesday afternoon, Rochester residents had learned of the attacks and said they were fearful.
“They just told me to watch my back, because there’s a rapist on the run. So it’s like scary, it’s scary,” said Carrie Legzdan.
Amber Suders and her boyfriend, Joshua Babyok, said they were woken up by some commotion Tuesday and realized Jackson was in their home.
The couple confronted him, and they said he offered them $20 to use their house as a hiding spot. However, Suders called the police, and the man ran away.
“I opened the door and he ran, I ran behind him, shut it and locked it. At that point, she already called 911 and was out front with the officers,” said Babyok.
The couple were inside their home with four young children.
“He was inside our house, face to face with us,” said Suders.
He faces nine separate charges, including rape, burglary, trespass, and assault.