3-17-04 - A Sherman high school teen accused of the rape and robbery of an elderly neighbor was arraigned Wednesday afternoon. The bond for 17-year-old Ronnie Salinas Junior was set at $105,000.

Police got the first 911 call from the 75-year-old victim just before 4am, but the dispatcher said she hung up. Suspecting foul play, he called back. The woman later told police the attacker forced her to answer and say everything was ok. The dispatcher still sent an officer, and the rapist left the home.

But on the way to the east Sherman neighborhood, the officer spotted a small, red car leaving the neighborhood and called it in, thinking it might be related to the assault. Another officer tried to pull the car over and the driver took off, but was stopped about 20 blocks later.

That man, 17-year-old Ronnie Salinas, Jr was arrested and later charged with aggravated sexual assault, burglary and fleeing a police officer.

Salinis is a student at Sherman High School and also works for the Growing Tree Learning Center in Sherman as part of a vocational work study program. First News spoke with the owner today, who told us that they followed every procedure when he began on February 11th, including a background check, which was clear. The owner says he never saw any indication that anything might be wrong.

Salinas is in the Grayson County Jail. His bond was set at $2,500 for evading arrest, $2,500 for burglary of a habitation and $100,000 for aggravated sexual assault of an elderly person.