Homeless man with three prior arrests held on $1 million bail for alleged rape of 15-year-old near Seattle bus stop

A 35-year-old homeless man who allegedly rode up to a 15-year-old girl at a Seattle bus stop, complimented her looks, lured her into the woods, and raped her has been charged. It was his fourth arrest in two years.

Joshua Kowalczewski was charged Wednesday with rape in the first degree and kidnapping in the second degree, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO). The judge set bail at $1 million. His arraignment is scheduled for May 11.

In asking for a high bail, prosecutors outlined Kowalczewski’s ongoing cases and conviction history, including nine active warrants across five jurisdictions.

“King County prosecutors asked for him to be held on $1 million bail, and the court set bail at that amount,” Casey McNerthney, communications director for KCPAO, said.

Kowalczewski’s prior cases involved an alleged robbery, a shoplifting incident, and a domestic violence warrant that also turned up fentanyl in his possession, according to McNerthney. None of the previous arrests resulted in significant jail time.

McNerthney said Kowalczewski wasn’t charged with rape of a child because the current charges more accurately describe his actions and carry more severe penalties if convicted.

15-year-old girl targeted at Northgate bus stop

The Seattle Police Department arrested the man Monday morning and booked him into the King County Jail for investigation of rape and kidnapping. He also has multiple outstanding warrants from Snohomish County and Puyallup Municipal Court.

The girl was standing at a bus stop near N.E. 103rd Street and 5th Avenue N.E. around 9 a.m. Monday, when Kowalczewski allegedly rode up on a bicycle, according to charging documents. He told her she was beautiful and asked how old she was. She told him she was 15, a 10th grader.

He then suggested they walk into the nearby woods. The girl told investigators she felt uneasy but was afraid of how the man might react if she said no. She didn’t want to seem rude.

Almost as soon as the two reached a secluded spot, the man allegedly forced himself on her, according to charging documents. After a few seconds, she managed to pull away and scream. Kowalczewski then allegedly jumped on his bicycle and took off.

Witness describes Northgate bus stop attack

Someone nearby had been watching. The witness saw the girl leave the Northgate bus stop with the man and felt something was off, according to charging documents.

When the witness heard the scream and saw the girl running out of the woods crying, the witness called for help.

How Seattle firefighters spotted Kowalczewski

Seattle Fire Department crews treated the girl at the scene. Medics took her to Seattle Children’s Hospital, where she was evaluated for minor physical injuries.

After leaving the area, the firefighters were near Stone Avenue N. and N. 107th Street when they spotted a man defecating in public, according to charging documents. They told him to stop.

As he walked off, he pulled off his shirt and dropped it on the ground next to the feces. It wasn’t until moments later that the firefighters put it together: the man matched the suspect description they’d overheard while the girl was being interviewed. By then, he was gone. But the shirt he allegedly left behind matched the one both the witness and the victim had described.

Arrest near Aurora Avenue in North Seattle

Detectives with SPD’s Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit processed the scene, interviewed witnesses, and collected evidence. About two hours after the alleged attack, patrol officers found Kowalczewski near Aurora Avenue N. and N. 115th Street and arrested him. Police took him to Seattle Police headquarters for questioning before booking him into jail.

Northgate rape suspect’s criminal history

McNerthney provided details on each of Kowalczewski’s three prior arrests.

In 2024, police arrested him in Shoreline during a felony robbery investigation after he allegedly tried to steal someone’s bicycle. The victim fell and said his finger was injured, but declined medical attention. McNerthney said prosecutors reviewed the case and determined it should be referred to the Shoreline city prosecutor for misdemeanor prosecution.

In 2025, he was arrested for allegedly biting a security guard during a shoplifting incident. In their initial report, police said security video showed a physical struggle, but the officer could not clearly see a bite on camera. McNerthney said investigators sent the case to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, which handles misdemeanors separately from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Earlier this year, Kowalczewski was arrested on a Snohomish County domestic violence assault warrant. During that arrest, police said he was also in possession of fentanyl, a misdemeanor under state law. Rather than filing the drug charge in District Court, where a conviction would have been unlikely to result in jail time, the case was referred to the Therapeutic Alternative Diversion program, a collaboration between the courts and Public Health that diverts certain low-level drug offenses into treatment. The Snohomish County warrant case is separate and still pending, according to McNerthney.

Seattle police chief calls attack ‘unacceptable’

SPD Chief Shon Barnes didn’t mince words in a statement Monday.

“Today’s incident is unacceptable. Our children should be able to travel safely and enjoy their youth without fear,” Barnes said. “As a community, we need to fully support our victims now and in the future. We need to prosecute those responsible for stealing our most vulnerable people’s sense of safety, and work together to stop this from happening again.”

Barnes directed victims of sexual assault to Seek Then Speak and the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center for support.

This story was originally published on May 5, 2026. It has been updated and republished since then.

Contributing: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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