Woman allegedly raped in bathroom

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LEWISTOWN - Two people were arrested during this past weekend after police discovered a North Carolina woman was allegedly raped in a local convenience store bathroom.

Dwayne M. Rhodes, 40, of Middletown, was arrested and charge with rape and sexual assault after a woman reported to police that he overpowered her just before 1 a.m. on Saturday in the bathroom of the Sheetz store, court documents indicate.

Later that evening, Rhodes girlfriend, Belinda A. Norman, 53, of Lewistown, tracked down the woman who claimed she was raped and assaulted her while she was trying to sleep.

Officers from the Mifflin County Regional Police department were first summoned to Lewistown Hospital early Saturday morning to interview the alleged victim about the Sheetz assault, court documents indicate.

Police said the alleged victim told them she had been drinking alcohol at Norman's residence, with Norman and Rhodes, and that at one point during the evening, everyone went to a local tavern.

Upon leaving the tavern, Rhodes and the alleged victim got into an argument outside the tavern as they waited for a taxi cab and Rhodes slapped the woman, police said.

The alleged victim told police the taxi dropped her and Rhodes off at the Sheetz store, where she entered the women's restroom and was soon thereafter confronted by Rhodes, court documents indicate.

Rhodes allegedly forced himself upon the woman and said, "No one will believe you," court documents state.

Police obtained the surveillance footage of the alleged victim entering the bathroom at 12:57 a.m., and observed Rhodes follow her in soon thereafter.

Court documents indicate that Rhodes was then seen in the footage exiting the bathroom and that shortly thereafter, another man entered the women's restroom to check on the alleged victim.

Police said the alleged victim was later transported to Lewistown Hospital for evaluation.

Shortly before 10 a.m., police were again summoned, this time to a residence on West Fifth Street for a reported assault that had just taken place, court documents indicate.

Police said the same alleged victim of the Sheetz attack claimed Norman tracked her down at the West Fifth Street residence and assaulted her.

Norman allegedly struck the woman several times in the face and head with a closed fist and told her not to pursue criminal charges against Rhodes, court documents indicate.

Police said Norman was charged with intimidating a witness or victim of a crime, plus an additional charge of simple assault.

Pending further court action, Rhodes remains incarcerated in the Mifflin County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 bail and Norman remains incarcerated on $25,000 bail. Preliminary hearings have not yet been scheduled.