An Indianapolis man is facing preliminary rape and criminal confinement charges after police say a woman was beaten, threatened with a handgun and prevented from leaving his home. She eventually escaped and ran across the street to an emergency room, where she called for help. The allegations stem from a violent dispute over cash that began after the woman spent the night at the home.
According to WTHR, court documents say the woman stayed with the man last Friday, left the next morning and later returned. The man allegedly accused her of taking $50, searched her purse and took the $80 inside, then forced her to remove her clothes to prove she did not have the missing cash.
The confrontation allegedly turned violent when the man punched the woman in the face and head, struck her with a handgun and pointed the weapon at her face. He allegedly threatened to kill her, refused to let her leave for about an hour and later raped her in his bedroom, according to the court documents. The woman reportedly suffered bruising and swelling to her face, head, hands and back, along with a cut on the back of her head.
The woman eventually escaped through the front door at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday and ran to an emergency room across the street. WTHR reported that she called for help from the hospital, while officers went to the home and later found a handgun and what they believed was methamphetamine.
The suspect was taken to the sex crimes office for an interview with detectives and denied the rape allegations. He reportedly acknowledged that the pair argued over money and said the woman had been at his apartment overnight, left and returned before the confrontation. He was later transported to the Marion County Jail and booked without further incident.
Preliminary Charges Leave The Case In Early Stages
The man is facing preliminary charges of rape and criminal confinement, though the allegations have not been proven in court. Indiana law lists rape and criminal confinement as separate offenses under Title 35, according to the Indiana General Assembly. The defendant is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
