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Police Charge Suspect In Attempted Rape On CTA

(CBS) – A 34-year-old Chicago man has been charged in the attempted rape of a woman on the CTA's Red Line over the weekend.

Ronald Sparks of the 7700 block of South Throop Street was charged with one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, Chicago Police said Monday. He had been taken into custody hours earlier following a 27-year-old woman's report that she was attacked around 5 a.m. Sunday as she and the suspect were alone in a train car.

The alleged attack occurred on a southbound train between the Fullerton and Clark/Division stops. The woman told police she was able to fight him off and get away.

CTA surveillance cameras captured images of the suspect. He was arrested early Monday in the 800 block of North State Street after a CTA security agent observed Sparks smoking on a train car, Chicago Police News Affairs said.

Sparks was expected to appear in bond court Tuesday, police said. He was also cited for smoking on the CTA.

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