Man accused of home-invasion rape in East Mount Airy arrested in North Carolina
Zyree Downing, of Middletown, Del., was taken into custody late Monday night and has waived his extradition hearing.
A 22-year-old man sought in a home-invasion rape of a 70-year-old woman earlier this month in East Mount Airy was arrested in North Carolina and will be charged with the Sept. 15 attack, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
Zyree Downing, of Middletown, Del., was taken into custody late Monday night and has waived his extradition hearing, said district attorney spokesperson Jane Roh. Downing will be transported back to Philadelphia “in the coming days” to be formally charged.
The victim was at home on the 7400 block of Devon Street when a young man forced his way into her and demanded money. A struggle ensued and the woman was punched, choked, then sexually assaulted, police said.
The woman was able to fight him off, and the man fled, stealing her phone, credit card, and 2014 Toyota Corolla.
Downing allegedly drove the Toyota to Chowan County in North Carolina and was involved in a crash, after which he allegedly abandoned the car, Roh said in an emailed statement.
Local authorities checked the license and then contacted the Philadelphia police.
“According to investigators, one of the passengers in the stolen car turned up at a local hospital and was interviewed by local authorities. That passenger additionally helped local authorities identify Downing as the driver of the stolen vehicle,” Roh said.