A Glenoma man accused of raping a woman in October 2022 after she suffered a stroke and couldn’t recognize him pleaded not guilty to a third-degree rape charge in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.
The defendant, a 46-year-old man, is accused of getting into bed with the victim on Oct. 18, 2022, and having sex with her without her consent, according to court documents. The Chronicle is not identifying the suspect to protect the identity of the alleged victim.
The suspect and the victim’s caregiver had picked the victim up from Arbor Health Morton Hospital, where she had received treatment following a seizure and a mild stroke, earlier that night.
The victim later reported to police that the stroke and seizure “left her mentally confused” and, while she did know both the suspect and her caregiver, she did not recognize them and “she left with both of them afraid, because she did not know who they were,” according to court documents.
The victim stated that she told the man, who she was in a dating relationship with, “‘no’ to sex that night,” per court documents.
The victim reported the incident to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 20.
When contacted by a deputy, the man reportedly confirmed the victim didn’t recognize him or her caregiver when they picked her up from the hospital and allegedly admitted to getting into bed with her, but said “he did it to make sure she was still breathing” and denied the allegations of sexual assault.
The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office charged him with one count of third-degree rape, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison, on Dec. 20.
He was issued a summons notice on Dec. 29 ahead of a Jan. 19 preliminary hearing, which he was present for alongside his attorney.
A judge ruled to allow the man to remain out of custody on $10,000 unsecured bail for the duration of his case. The judge also approved a sexual assault protection order in favor of the alleged victim.
The trial is currently scheduled for March.
