Man accused of attacking teen on bike path in Beach Park pleads not guilty
The Beach Park man charged with attacking a 16-year-old girl last month on the Robert McClory Bike Path in Beach Park pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Tramane Johnson, 27, of the 38700 block of Sheridan Road in Beach Park, appeared at a virtual court hearing Thursday morning and sat silently while the charges before him were read.
Johnson is charged with four counts of attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault, one count of aggravated criminal sex abuse, two counts of aggravated battery and one count of unlawful restraint.
According to initial police accounts, a man approached the girl on the evening of June 7 as she walked on the bike path just north of Yorkhouse Road, pushed her to the ground, removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. Police said a nearby resident heard the girl scream and came to help. As the resident approached, the attacker ran away.
Lake County sheriff's investigators matched DNA from a hair sample recovered at the scene to Johnson, authorities said. Johnson's DNA was in a database because of previous out-of-state weapons charges, sheriff's office Chief of Staff Anthony Vega said.
After making the match, officers began surveilling Johnson's home. Police obtained an arrest warrant and took Johnson into custody without incident, according to Vega.
Johnson will be back in court on July 29 for a hearing on an order of protection for the 16-year-old girl requested by the prosecution.