The suspect is identified as 53-year-old Reginald McNeill. Authorities say McNeill is a convicted sex offender, who was released from prison last year after serving 27 years for rape and robbery.
The man who spent half his life in prison is back behind bars today. He was arraigned for the kidnapping, which occurred on Sunday. His bail is set at $1-million cash.
Reginald McNeill in custody comes across as soft-spoken. He repeatedly apologized to his alleged victim.
"I wasn't going to hurt her or hurt anybody else. I apologize very deeply," he told reporters Wednesday. When asked what he had planned to do, Reginald replied, "I just needed money. That's all."
But McNeill's apologetic demeanor are in strict contrast to what police say was a terror-filled abduction on Sunday morning.
The victim is a 20-year-old waitress at the Kitchen Bar restaurant in Abington. Police say McNeill, a convicted rapist, used pepper spray to overcome the victim as she entered her car in the restaurant parking lot. As she fought, it is alleged that McNeill put a string around her neck as he forced her into the car.
Armed with a knife and spouting obscenities, he allegedly told her that if she put her head up, he would kill her. McNeill allegedly tried to handcuff the victim, but she fought back. She leapt to open the driver's door, pushing the car horn. Both the victim and McNeill fell from the moving vehicle.
McNeill was later arrested.
Abington Police Chief Bill Kelly said, "We were happy to make that arrest, needless to say, because this was one of the most vicious attacks we've ever seen of this type. And certainly we were anxious to get Mr. McNeill off the streets."
The victim is home resting after surviving the attack. Police say they are convinced that had the victim not fought as hard as she did she would be dead now.
As for McNeill, he was convicted for a 1978 rape. He just got out of prison last year. He was arrested just last month in Philadelphia at The Union League for an instance involving a suitcase and a trespass charge. He was released on bail from that instance but is back behind bars today.
