NEW BETHLEHEM (EYT) – State police at Clarion have filed rape and related charges against a 24-year-old man after an alleged incident that occurred yesterday in the New Bethlehem area.
On Wednesday around 10:37 p.m., Trooper William Craddock was informed about a 20-year-old Clearfield woman who contacted Clarion-based state police to report that “she had just been raped.” She was also following the man who had allegedly raped her.
The alleged victim provided the license plate number for the vehicle to state police. A check of the CLEAN/NCIC system revealed the vehicle to be a 1998 Chevrolet truck registered to Douglas Greenawalt, 24, of New Bethlehem.
State police interviewed the alleged victim early this morning at the Clarion Hospital. She stated that she met a man via a dating Web site approximately three or four days prior to the alleged rape.
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged victim stated that she knew the man as “Douglas” and that his last name was “Green-something.” She then stated that he’d told her that she was cute and he’d like to be in a relationship with her. He wouldn’t have sex with her until they were (in a relationship).
The alleged victim went on to describe the incident to state 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 criminal complaint. The victim stated that she didn’t know exactly where she was because she is not from the area.
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged victim told state police that she and the defendant got out of the truck. She stated that they were looking at the stars and talking while sitting on the tailgate of his truck.
Further, the alleged victim told state 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 that the alleged victim told state police that she yelled at Greenawalt 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 Greenawalt’s truck. The alleged victim stated that the defendant forcibly raped her.
The criminal complaint states that the alleged victim described the defendant to state police, at which point she was shown a picture of Greenawalt. She was able to positively identify Greenawalt, according to state police.
Following the interview, state police went to Greenawalt’s residence. Craddock stated in the criminal complaint that the defendant came to the door dressed exactly as the alleged victim described, wearing a florescent yellow shirt, blue jeans and work boots.
State police also located Greenawalt’s vehicle at the residence. According to state police, the vehicle matched the description provided by the victim – a maroon Chevrolet with “Chevrolet” in silver on the tailgate.
The alleged victim also told state police there was a “potted plant in the bed of the truck.” State police located a two- to three-foot high cornstalk growing in the right corner of the bed. Pieces of wood were also located in the bed as described by the victim, according to state police.
Greenawalt was lodged in the Clarion County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 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 Jan. 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.
