Man accused of stalking, groping teen on Bensalem-bound SEPTA bus
The suspect allegedly groped the teen girl multiple times during the 45-minute commute.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia man has been charged with stalking and groping a teenager while onboard a SEPTA bus.
Police say 25-year-old Elmange Watson followed a 17-year-old girl onto a Bensalem-bound bus last month at the Frankford Transportation Center in Philadelphia.
He allegedly groped her multiple times during the 45-minute commute.
The victim told police she boarded the SEPTA bus at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 22 at the Frankford Transportation Center to get to her job at the Neshaminy Mall.
"Watson followed the girl onto the bus and sat down next to her, so close that his body was touching hers. The victim told police she did not know Watson and there were other seats available where Watson could have sat," said police in a news release.
The bus arrived at Neshaminy Mall at 11:15 a.m. and Watson exited the bus next to the victim, authorities said.
Watson is accused of harassing the teen while inside the mall and reportedly only left when the victim's boss appeared.
Watson was charged on Feb. 21 and was sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility under $250,000 bail, 10 percent.
This isn't the first time Watson has been accused of sexually harassing women.
Last October, he was arrested in Philadelphia for exposing himself to two different women on the 3000 block of North Broad Street and yelling obscene comments at them. Those charges were eventually dropped.
The Bucks County District Attorney's Office and the Bensalem Police Department believe there may be additional victims.
"We do have reason to believe this wasn't necessarily an isolated incident. We're concerned that there may be more victims out there and that's why we wanted to get the word out," said Britney Kern, the deputy district attorney in Bucks County.
Police say they're looking at surveillance video from SEPTA, but riders say this crime does not surprise them.
"I've called several times about them having creepy people on the trains or the buses and they do nothing about it," said a rider named Elaine.
Riders say they expect better when they board SEPTA buses or trains.
"I feel as though we should be safe on SEPTA. We should be safe anywhere and nobody should go through what that child went through," said Ameerah Watson from North Philadelphia.
Anyone with information can contact Bensalem Police Detective Ryan Kolb at 215-633-3746.
