A Springdale man faces a felony sexual assault charge after a woman told police he fondled her while she was asleep on a couch.
Julio Sales, 43, was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on Sunday morning and faces a rape-forcible fondling charge, according to the Sheriff’s Department website. Sales has a $25,000 bond and an April 3 court date.
A preliminary police report said Springdale police responded to a rape complaint at a house on the 400 block of Village Lane at approximately 3:33 a.m. An 18-year-old woman told officers she was asleep on the couch when she woke up to find Sales, the owner of the home, touching her, the report said.
The woman was visiting her brother and sister-in-law, who lived at the residence and were asleep in another room, the report said. The woman told officer that Sales touched her buttocks and her genitals through her pants before pulling her pants down and touching her genitals and penetrating her with his fingers for about two minutes, the report said.
The woman told officers Sales was holding her ankle to prevent her from escaping but she was able to kick him in the face and run to her brother’s bedroom, the report said. Sales denied the allegations to the woman’s sister-in-law but later apologized to the woman and said he hoped she wasn’t hurt, the report said.
The woman’s brother told Sales he was calling the police, and Sales left the residence and drove away, the report said. Sales was stopped by other officers at approximately 4:12 a.m. near the intersection of Emma Avenue and Berry Street and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the report said.
Details of Sales’ traffic stop were not released but he faces a misdemeanor charge of DWI, according to the Sheriff’s website.
