SEATTLE — A man accused of kidnapping and raping a 15-year-old girl near a Seattle bus stop faced a judge this morning.
Prosecutors allege that Joshua Kowalczewski, age 35, forced the teenager into a wooded area before sexually assaulting her last week.
According to the Seattle Police Department, the assault happened around 9 a.m. on Monday, May 4, a few blocks from the Northgate Transit Center and light rail station in Seattle. Court documents state Kowalczewski approached the victim, threatened her, and forced her into a wooded area where she was sexually assaulted.
In court this morning, the judge overseeing arraignments did not allow Kowalczewski’s face to be shown. He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
Court documents detail the alleged incident, stating, “He asked her to go into the wooded area east of the bus stop. She didn’t so he told her, ‘Come now!’ She was scared of what he might do if she didn’t follow him.”
Seattle Police say the suspect later left the area. Surveillance cameras captured him, leading police to track him down and take him into custody.
Julia Roman, a victim advocate, provided a statement from the girl’s family during the court proceedings. Roman said, “This individual has completely turned our family’s everyday life into a living hell. She was at a bus stop waiting to go to school. He saw her and took advantage of her.”
Roman also expressed the profound impact on the victim, stating, “he has shattered her sense of public safety. Up until this traumatic incident, she’s been independent and has not been afraid to be in public places alone. She is now forever scarred by this, and her family’s life will never be the same.”
Court proceedings and documents reveal a significant criminal history for Kowalczewski. KIRO 7 learned he has nine active warrants across five jurisdictions and has had 46 warrants issued against him since 2008. Over a 19-year span, he has accumulated 28 arrests and 13 convictions. These convictions include assault, DUI, violating a protection order, and theft.
Roman reiterated concerns for public safety, saying, “he is a danger to the community, and we are asking for the highest amount of bail to be set.”
Kowalczewski’s bail remained set at $1 million.
Concluding her statement, Roman emphasized the victim’s innocence, stating, “She is full of life, love, hope, and promise; she is a child, and he didn’t care.”
Kowalczewski’s next court date is set for June 30.
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