NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT) – State Police in Clarion have filed Rape and other related charges against a 24-year-old man stemming from an alleged incident that occurred yesterday in the New Bethlehem area.
Around 10:37 p.m. on Wednesday, State Police Trooper William Craddock was informed that a 20-year-old Clearfield woman contacted Clarion-based State Police to report that she had “just been raped” and was following the individual who allegedly raped her.
The victim provided the license plate number of the vehicle to police. A check of the CLEAN/NCIC system revealed the vehicle was a 1998 Chevrolet truck registered to Douglas Greenawalt, 24, of New Bethlehem.
Police interviewed the victim early this morning at the Clarion Hospital and at PSP Clarion, where she stated that she met an individual via a dating website approximately three or four days prior to the alleged rape.
According to the Criminal Complaint, the victim stated that she knew the individual as “Douglas” and that his last name was “Green-something.” She then stated that he had told her “she was cute” and that he would like to be in a relationship with her and wouldn’t have sex with her until they were (in a relationship).
The victim went on to describe the alleged incident to police. She stated that she met the defendant at Sunoco in New Bethlehem on Wednesday, where she got into his truck and “they drove for about 10-15 minutes to a gas well site off a dirt road,” according to the complaint. The victim stated that she did not know exactly where she was because she is not from the area.
According to the Criminal Complaint, the victim told police that she and the defendant got out of the truck and were looking at the stars and talking while sitting on the truck’s tailgate.
The victim told police that the defendant tried to kiss her, and she pushed him away. She then stated that the defendant allegedly grabbed the front of her shorts and shirt and pushed her back into the bed of the truck.
The Criminal Complaint states the victim told police that she yelled at the defendant and asked him to stop. He then allegedly unbuttoned her shorts, pulled off her shorts and underwear, and pushed her down by the neck as she tried to sit up. She also stated that he repeatedly pulled her down by her hair from underneath and, at some point, she hit her head on a wooden board in the back of the defendant’s truck. The victim stated that the defendant then allegedly forcibly raped her vaginally.
The Criminal Complaint states that the victim described the defendant to Trooper Craddock, at which point, she was shown a picture of Greenawalt. She was able to positively identify Greenawalt, according to police.
Following the interview, Trooper Craddock went to Greenawalt’s residence. Craddock states in the Criminal Complaint that the defendant came to the door dressed exactly as the victim described — wearing a florescent-yellow shirt, blue jeans, and work boots.
Police also located Greenawalt’s vehicle at the residence. According to police, the vehicle matched the description provided by the victim — a maroon Chevrolet with “Chevrolet” in silver on the tailgate. The victim also told police there was a “potted plant in the bed of the truck.” Police located a 2-3 foot high corn stalk growing in the right corner of the bed. Pieces of wood were also located in the bed as described by the victim, according to police.
Police subsequently filed the following charges against Greenawalt:
– Rape Forcible Compulsion, Felony 1
– Unlawful Restraint/Serious Bodily Injury, Misdemeanor 1
– Indecent Assault Forcible Compulsion, Misdemeanor 1
Greenawalt was lodged in the Clarion County Jail in lieu of $100,000.00 bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for September 9.
In a separate case, Greenawalt is facing felony charges after he allegedly attempted to pay a minor to perform sexual acts in exchange for money. The incident allegedly occurred January 14 on Valley Church Road, in Richland Township, Venango County.
Greenawalt is slated to appear in Venango County Central Court next week for a preliminary hearing on the January 14 incident.
