SALEM, Ore. -- Police said a citizen's tip helped them arrest a man who was strangling a woman with his belt and raping her.

Police said a man gave two officers a tip that led them to Darrell Root, a transient who was in the act of raping a woman early Tuesday morning.

At 2 a.m. Tuesday, Pete Saleen was heading out to grab some food when he saw something that just didn't seem right. It was dark, but right next to the Interstate 5/Mission Street off-ramp, he said a man and woman looked like they were struggling.

"I couldn't really tell if they were drunk or arguing, you know," Saleen said.

He said the man seemed to be pulling the woman into the bushes.

"I wasn't sure if I should get involved or not and the way she looked like she didn't want to go into those trees was just not sitting well with me. And I had to do something. I had to let somebody know," Saleen said.

Pete went into a nearby restaurant where two police officers were eating and told them what he saw.

The officers called for backup and when they got to the scene, police said they saw Root raping the woman.

They said he raped her a few minutes earlier then she broke free but Root managed to grab her again, and this time he tied his belt around her neck until she passed out then raped her again.

"I hope she's going to be OK," Saleen said.

Police arrested Root on charges of rape, kidnapping and strangulation and the victim was taken to a hospital.

Saleen said he knows a lot of people don't want to get involved in other people's business but he's glad that he got involved.

"It sounds like if somebody didn't see them, it could've turned out worse," Saleen said.

Police: Tip Helps Catch Rapist During Attack