Racine man charged in connection with violent sexual assault that left woman battered

RACINE COUNTY -- A 27-year-old Racine man is facing charges in connection with a violent sexual assault that happened in February.

The accused is 27-year-old Jermain Winters, who is facing one count of first degree sexual assault, repeater.

The alleged incident occurred on February 19th.

That's when a 42-year-old woman contacted police to report that she was the victim of a violent sexual assault.

According to the criminal complaint, officers observed the woman's face to be "extremely swollen and bruised." Her right eye was nearly swollen shut and her right cheek bone was very swollen and bruised. She had blood on her nose and lips, and what appeared to be shoe tread marks on her cheek and nose area. Her left eye was swollen and protruding outward. He had abrasions on both hands, and a bite mark on her finger. At the hospital, it was determined the woman had suffered a broken nose and broken right cheek bone.

The woman was able to provide police with a detailed description of the suspect.

Through an investigation, police learned the assault happened near Phillips Avenue and Slauson Avenue in Racine between 5:00 a.m. and 6:15 a.m.

The victim told police the suspect punched her in the face and put her in a chokehold.

She said she defended herself with a box cutter -- attempting to flee after cutting the suspect. Unfortunately though, according to the complaint, the woman slipped and fell, and the suspect then dove on top of her to prevent her escape.

The victim told police when she tried again to defend herself with the box cutter, the suspect bit her thumb.

The victim said the suspect then sexually assaulted her.

At the crime scene, police discovered a suspected blood stain, and suspected semen on a cement walkway between a fence and a garage, along with the box cutter.

The complaint says the victim in this case was able to identify Jermain Winters as the assailant via a photo lineup. When search warrants were executed, police recovered a hat matching the hat Winters was seen wearing in surveillance video prior to the assault, and tennis shoes with no laces, that the suspect was described as wearing at the time of the assault.

Winters made his initial appearance in court in this case on March 17th. Cash bond was set at $50,000. He will next be in court on March 23rd for his preliminary hearing.