Los Angeles: Man accused of raping mentally handicapped woman on bus arrested

A 20-year-old man was arrested today on suspicion of raping a mentally disabled young woman aboard a moving Metro bus.

Kerry Trotter was taken into custody around 6:30 a.m. at a Los Angeles home in the 1400 block of West 99th Street, said Sgt. Dan Scott of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Trotter allegedly raped the 18-year-old victim, who has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, at 5:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Sheriff’s detectives said the woman and suspect boarded the bus at the same time at La Cienega and Jefferson boulevards, and he allegedly followed her to the rear of the bus and sexually assaulted her.

The only other passenger on the bus tried unsuccessfully to get the driver’s attention, according to the Sheriff’s Department, which reported that Trotter got off the bus at Sepulveda Boulevard and Slauson Avenue.

He was booked at the South Los Angeles Station on suspicion of rape, with bail set at $1 million.

Scott said Trotter, who is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, “has an extensive criminal history, including charges of sexual assault.”