A convicted sex offender is suspected of raping an exotic dancer at knife-point in East Windsor early Thursday morning, then slashing his own throat when armed officers told him to drop the knife he was holding, according to police.
James Michael Polk, 43, of South Windsor, picked up the woman from Mardi Gras II, a local strip club where she worked as a dancer. He then brought her to the business he manages, Power Service Concepts at 8 Thompson Road, according to East Windsor Police Det. Matthew Carl.
Carl said Polk brutally raped her, inflicting severe bruises, cuts and broken bones. Carl said the woman's injuries are some of the worst he's seen in his 19 years of police work.
"Her injuries were very brutal," Carl said. "Of having to do Major Crimes a long time, we've seen a lot of cases and this is one of the worst ones."
According to Carl, the victim called 911 and hung up just before 3 a.m. Thursday. She seemed to be hurt, so police traced the call to a landline phone at Power Service Concepts, where police forced their way into the building.
Inside, they found Polk armed with a knife. Carl said the victim was able to run to police when they arrived. She remains in the hospital, but will survive.
Polk allegedly told officers, "You're going to have to kill me," and slit his own throat when police held him at gunpoint and told him to drop the weapon, according to Carl.
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"The suspect was cornered. He told the officers who had him at gunpoint (that) he had a knife on him, and he told them the officers would have to kill him," Carl described. "And when they went to Taser him to subdue him, he took the knife and slit his own throat."
Polk was rushed into surgery at Hartford Hospital and is expected to survive. He remains in the intensive care unit under police guard and has not yet been charged in the attack, according to Carl.
Police expect to charge him with offenses, including sexual assault, kidnapping and violation of probation, Carl said. Polk previously served five years in prison for first-degree sexual assault charges stemming from a 2003 attack.
He is listed on the state sex offender registry with convictions on third-degree sexual assault, sexual battery and kidnapping charges. Carl said he was arrested again in 2013 for failure to register as a sex offender in East Hartford.
The State Police Major Crime Unit is assisting with the investigation and anyone with information should call the East Windsor Police Department and ask for Det. Scott Roberts at 860-292-8240.
