Driver reports South Bend rape, robbery

SOUTH BEND — A 30-year-old South Bend woman told police she was raped and robbed at gunpoint around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday on the south side of South Bend. The woman said she was driving near the intersection of Ironwood Drive and Inwood Road when she stopped for a dog in the street. At that time, a man entered her car on the passenger side and pointed a silver gun at her, she told police. He allegedly said, “Drive or I’ll shoot you.” The woman said she drove a few blocks and pulled into a parking lot at the man’s instruction. The man took the keys out of the ignition, walked around to the driver’s side of the car, and took the woman’s wallet, she said. He then grabbed her by the hair and pulled her out of the car, saying he would kill her if she screamed, the woman told police. The man pushed her to the ground a few yards from the car, took her clothes off, and raped her, she told police. Afterward, he allegedly said, “Don’t tell anyone or I will find you and kill you,” and then ran away. The woman did not tell anyone about the incident until the following evening, according to a police report. She described the rapist as a male black in his 30s or early 40s, about 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall, between 200 and 220 pounds. He was wearing black gloves and a black beanie hat, she said.