Police in Mt Pleasant say a CMU student is lucky to be alive after what they describe as a horrific attack Wednesday night.
Police say the student was walking to her car near the Student Activity Center she was approached by 30-year old Eric Lee Ramsey of Mt Pleasant. Officers say Ramsey forced the victim at gunpoint into her car, and forced her to drive to a residence south of the campus, where he sexually assaulted her.
Ramsey then ordered the victim back into her car and as they were driving spoke about how he was going to kill her.
Isabella county Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski says the victim escaped from the suspect by jumping from the moving car, fearing for her life, "She knew that he had had two gas cans full of gasoline in the car. He lit his lighter and says this is going to be your life. So at that point she knew that she either had to jump or it probably wasn't going to have a real good outcome".
Police say the victim ran to a nearby home and pounded on the door. The homeowner let her in, and while she was on the phone with 9-1-1, Ramsey poured gasoline on the house and set it on fire. Police say Ramsey fled the scene and the homeowner was able to put the fire out.
Law enforcement throughout the state was put on alert to locate the suspect. He was located in Crawford county. Investigators say he stole a sanitation truck and crashed into at least two police cars, one head on, before being shot and killed by police.
CMU Chief of Police Bill Yeagley Thursday called the victim in the case a hero, "she engaged this individual in conversation, because he was willing, and personally I believe that plays a great role in why she's still here with us today. I really, really respect her". Yeagley added that CMU stands ready to help the victim and her family in any way to recover from this. He says this was a horrific event for the victim, her family and the Mt Pleasant community, "What makes is more horrific for us is this is a very safe community, a very safe campus. And so when these types of events occur, so infrequent, and I am grateful that they are infrequent, they make a huge impact on us. We're not used to this, to these events happening in our community".
Police say Eric Ramsey has a long criminal record including: felonious assault, malicious destruction of police of fire property, resisting and obstructing police, and assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder.
Police say Ramsey told the victim that he was looking for a woman's car to steal, and chose her at random.
Police say the student was walking to her car near the Student Activity Center she was approached by 30-year old Eric Lee Ramsey of Mt Pleasant. Officers say Ramsey forced the victim at gunpoint into her car, and forced her to drive to a residence south of the campus, where he sexually assaulted her.
Ramsey then ordered the victim back into her car and as they were driving spoke about how he was going to kill her.
Isabella county Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski says the victim escaped from the suspect by jumping from the moving car, fearing for her life, "She knew that he had had two gas cans full of gasoline in the car. He lit his lighter and says this is going to be your life. So at that point she knew that she either had to jump or it probably wasn't going to have a real good outcome".
Police say the victim ran to a nearby home and pounded on the door. The homeowner let her in, and while she was on the phone with 9-1-1, Ramsey poured gasoline on the house and set it on fire. Police say Ramsey fled the scene and the homeowner was able to put the fire out.
Law enforcement throughout the state was put on alert to locate the suspect. He was located in Crawford county. Investigators say he stole a sanitation truck and crashed into at least two police cars, one head on, before being shot and killed by police.
CMU Chief of Police Bill Yeagley Thursday called the victim in the case a hero, "she engaged this individual in conversation, because he was willing, and personally I believe that plays a great role in why she's still here with us today. I really, really respect her". Yeagley added that CMU stands ready to help the victim and her family in any way to recover from this. He says this was a horrific event for the victim, her family and the Mt Pleasant community, "What makes is more horrific for us is this is a very safe community, a very safe campus. And so when these types of events occur, so infrequent, and I am grateful that they are infrequent, they make a huge impact on us. We're not used to this, to these events happening in our community".
Police say Eric Ramsey has a long criminal record including: felonious assault, malicious destruction of police of fire property, resisting and obstructing police, and assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder.
Police say Ramsey told the victim that he was looking for a woman's car to steal, and chose her at random.