TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A Tallahassee man is behind bars on sexual battery charges after being accused of raping a woman in an alley on West Pensacola Street.
According to court documents, Tallahassee police were dispatched to a sexual battery call in the 2700 block of West Pensacola Street back in September of 2019.
When officers arrived on scene, they spoke with the victim who identified the suspect as 53-year-old John Winbush. Police say Winbush was standing approximately 100 yards away from them as he was walking towards Cactus Street.
The victim told officers that she met Winbush earlier that same day and that they were getting to know each other. She went on to explain that while they were walking along West Pensacola Street, Winbush forced her off the sidewalk and into a grass alley on the side of Sandpebble Apartments.
Documents say while they were in the alleyway, Winbush "shoved the [victim] to the ground and forced himself upon her."
The victim told police that Winbush proceeded to "forcefully" pull down her clothes and rape her. The victim said she told Winbush to stop several times.
Eventually, Winbush stopped and walked away from the area, threatening to put the victim "in her grave" if she called law enforcement, according to court documents.
During the investigation, Winbush was transported to the Tallahassee Police Department while the victim was given a rape kit.
Investigators conducted an interview with Winbush about the incident while he was at the police department.
Winbush stated that he didn't rape the victim and the allegations were false. After speaking with Winbush, investigators collected his DNA samples.
All the evidence collected during the investigation was turned in to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for processing.
After several weeks of waiting on results, police say Winbush's DNA was found in the victim's rape kit results.
Based on the evidence, Winbush was arrested and transported to the Leon County Detention Facility. As of Tuesday, he is being held in jail without bond for sexual battery.