Man takes off pants and underwear and tries to rape stranger on Manhattan subway train

A man took off his pants and underwear and tried to rape a woman on a Manhattan subway train, police said Thursday.

The 24-year-old victim was riding an uptown No. 4 train when Chris Tapia, 23, doffed his pants and underwear and laid on top of her about 11:30 p.m. Nov. 17, cops said. He groped her and tried to pull her skirt down.

The woman fled to another train car.

Tapia got off the train at the Bowling Green stop and then got on a ferry bound for Staten Island.

Tapia, of the Port Richmond section of Staten Island, was arrested Thursday and charged with attempted rape, sexual abuse, forcible touching and public lewdness.

His arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending Thursday evening.