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Police say man who hid in downtown Bloomington storm sewer Tuesday assaulted a woman that morning

By Bente Bouthier

Posted September 23, 2022

Swartzentruber ended a seven hour standoff with police Sunday. He claimed to have a rifle, which police were unable to locate. (Clayton Baumgarth)

Police said before Eli Swartzentruber attacked a group at Seminary Park Tuesday and fled into Bloomington’s downtown storm drains for several hours he sexually assaulted a woman. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, an officer spoke with a woman that morning who said a man had come to her cabin outside the city at 6:30 a.m., threatened her with a machete, and sexually assaulted her. She identified the man as Swartzentruber to officers.  

Read More: Authorites find no firearms after seven hour standoff

She told police that upon entering her dwelling, Swartzentruber asked the woman if she wanted to go live underground with him. When she said no, she told police, Swartzentruber threatened her with the machete, which she says was 16 inches long and four inches wide.  

He tried to pack some of her belongings into a bag and told her he’d stolen a truck, according to police. Then, he sexually assaulted her and continued threats with the machete. 

Read More: Armed man in custody after entering storm drain near 1st and Walnut, suspect identified as Eli Swartzentruber

The woman managed to distract Swartzentruber, according to police. She ran to a house on the property where she was staying and told the owner what had happened.  

When police got there after 8:30 a.m., Swartzentruber was gone, according to police. It was about an hour later that police say he had an altercation in Seminary Park, then entered the storm sewer near Walnut and First. Police believed he was armed with a rifle as they tried to get him to leave the storm sewer for the next seven hours.  

The assault adds sexual battery, strangulation and residential entry to the charges brought against him in Monroe County.

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