Bail for a carnival worker accused of sexually assaulting an Elkhorn woman was set at $1 million.
The 21-year-old victim was leaving her job at Subway when she was attacked Tuesday, Aug. 28.
Elkhorn Police arrested a 24-year-old man from Mississippi who they say is responsible. They said he attacked the woman after she left her job around 9 p.m. in a public parking lot.
The Walworth County Fairgrounds General Manager Larry Gaffey said that man was in town because he worked for the carnival.
“Just having someone associated with the fair itself is just, it’s unbelievable,” said Gaffey.
Gaffey said the suspect was not their employee. North American Midway Entertainment, who hired the suspect, says it did run a background check, but the suspect passed it.
“I found out afterward he had a burglary but as I said before, we look for sexual predators, people that are on the sex registry,” said Gaffey.
According to the Janesville Gazette, the prosecutor said the suspect beat the woman in the head with a hammer because he was going to rob her. The suspect then later removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. Police say the victim was beaten so badly she was unable to speak when they found her.
One of the victim’s former co-workers at Subway says its common for workers to park in the public lot. They never worried about it. Now she is praying for her friend’s recovery.
It’s just unfortunate that it happened to such a good person that didn’t deserve it whatsoever,” said Rayvin Sharp.
TODAY’S TMJ4 is not naming the suspect because he has not yet been officially charged. Police are holding him on possible charges of first-degree sexual assault, robbery, first-degree reckless injury, aggravated battery and obstructing an officer.
