ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Winnebago State’s Attorney announced Monday that Matthew Harkey, 47, will spend the rest of his life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a Rockford woman.

Harkey reportedly broke into the victim’s house back on March 13, 2019. He struck her on the head before duct taping a ski mask on her and forcing her into the trunk of her car.

He proceeded to transport the woman to his mother’s house in Roscoe, where he took her to the basement and handcuffed her to a weight bench. Harkey then removed her clothes and repeatedly sexually assaulted her.

The victim managed to drag the weight bench up the stairs and out the front door after Harkey had left. A neighbor and passerby stopped to aid her until officers arrived.

An investigation showed that Harkey had rented a vehicle the day before the attack. The vehicle was located in Winnebago County and fled from police when they attempted to stop it, hitting speeds over 100 miles per hour on Perryville Road.

Harkey was able to flee police due to heavy traffic, though it was later tracked using the “find my phone” feature on the victim’s phone, which he had taken during the attack.

Officers from multiple agencies picked up the chase. Harkey eventually crashed his vehicle and was ejected from the car. He was transported to the hospital for treatment before being handed over to the Roscoe Police Department and the Winnebago County Sheriff.

Harkey was found guilty of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated Kidnapping, Home Invasion and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse. He was sentenced to a total of 123 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.