Woman is raped by an armed man before being forced into a boot before being chased across wetlands when she tried to escape
- A woman in her 30s was allegedly raped in Adelaide's south on Friday night
- Police say an armed man, 37, then bundled her into the boot of his red Ford
- The woman escaped into wetlands near the Salisbury Highway around 8.15pm
- The man allegedly chased her and fired several shots with a handgun
- She reached safety at a nearby petrol station and called Triple Zero
A woman was allegedly raped by her date before he forced her into a boot and chased her across wetlands when she escaped.
Police say the woman, in her 30s, was sexually assaulted in Adelaide's southern suburbs on Friday night by a 37-year-old man who was known to her.
She was then bundled into the boot of a red Ford Laser and driven north on the Salisbury Highway.
A woman, in her 30s, was allegedly raped by a 37-year-old armed man in Adelaide's south on Friday night before he bundled her into the boot of his red Ford laser (pictured)
Detective Chief Inspector Billy Thompson said the 37-year-old man pulled over near Dry Creek wetlands after he noticed the woman struggling in the boot.
The woman then managed to escape around 8.15pm and was chased through the wetlands.
Police said the man, who was believed to be dating the woman, was carrying a handgun and fired several shots as she ran away.
The woman ran to safety at a nearby On The Run petrol station and called Triple Zero from her mobile phone.
Chief Inspector Thompson said: 'We located her reasonably quickly after the initial call but she was quite disorientated from what she's told us.'
'She would have been very afraid last night ... to be in the middle of nowhere in the dark, not knowing where you are, trying to seek help, would have been very frightening for her.'
He said the woman was treated in hospital on Friday night for injuries 'consistent with assault' and released shortly after.
Police say the man pulled over near Dry Creek on the Salisbury Highway (pictured) where the woman escaped and was chased through the wetlands as the man fired several shots
Chief Inspector Thompson said detectives believed the pair were dating but are still investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the attack.
'We do not believe that the couple were in a domestic relationship but they have been known to each other,' he said.
Detectives also believe the man was driving towards his home in north Adelaide.
'The man is from the Craigmore suburb, so we act on the belief that he was returning to the Craigmore area, potentially,' Chief Inspector Thompson explained.
Police surrounded the wetlands near the Salisbury Highway and searched for the 37-year old man with the help of Special Tasks and Rescue officers and Polair.
The man was found hiding in the bushes and was charged with unlawful detention and rape.
He was refused bail and is expected to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday.
SES crews and police returned to the wetlands on Saturday morning to search for the missing gun.
The woman ran to safety at a nearby service station and phoned Triple Zero. Police surrounded the wetlands near the highway (pictured) and found the man hiding in the bushes
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