Repeat offender arrested in Boston, DA says – NBC Boston

A convicted rapist attacked a man under the Longfellow Bridge in Boston with a machete last month and was arrested days later, prosecutors said Thursday.

The man who was attacked was found covered in blood from several cuts to the top of his head on Storrow Drive on the night of Thursday, May 23, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. Investigators identified the attacker as Charles Selph, whom prosecutors called a repeat violent offender, and Selph was arrested in Boston four days later.

Drivers stopped to help the blood-covered man and one person provided cellphone video that helped find Selph, officials said. The injured man shared a description of the person who woke him up during the attack.

“This assistance, along with surveillance video and excellent investigative work, led to a quick arrest in this brutal attack,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.

The attack was reported around 10:15 p.m. State police previously confirmed to NBC10 Boston that they were on Storrow Drive, near Teddy Ebersol Red Sox Fields, responding to an assault, but had not no more details.

The injured man, 54, told investigators he was sleeping under the bridge, and after the attack began, he ran toward Storrow Drive, where he got help from drivers. He described his attacker and was rushed to nearby Massachusetts General Hospital.

In the driver's cellphone video, the alleged attacker was holding a long object in his hand, something they also saw in MBTA surveillance footage just before the attack, prosecutors said.

A police officer recognized Selph from the footage, and in a backpack found at the scene were a medical bracelet and a pill bottle, both bearing his name, according to prosecutors. Nearby was a machete that matched what was seen in the images.

Prosecutors have not said why they believe Selph attacked the man.

Selph, who had previously been convicted of rape, sexual assault, assault and battery on a police officer, failure to register as a sex offender and more, according to prosecutors, was recently sentenced to nine months in prison last May for assault and battery. .

He was arraigned for his alleged machete attack a day after his arrest on May 28 and ordered held on $1,000 bail. The judge also ordered him to stay away from the alleged victim and the area of ​​the attack, prosecutors said.

It was not immediately clear whether Selph had posted bond or had an attorney who could speak about the charges. He is due back in court on June 21.