Man denies raping unconscious woman

A 20-year-old Pablo man has denied charges alleging he raped an unconscious woman in September of 2015.

Richard Twoteeth pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent in Lake County District Court last week.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, on the night of Sept. 23, Twoteeth’s grandmother called law enforcement to report suspicious activity inside his locked bedroom. Upon arrival, officers looked through an outside window and saw a woman lying naked in a pile of blankets on the bedroom floor. Officers climbed through the window and found the woman smelling strongly of alcohol and unresponsive, aside from a sudden outburst in which she mumbled, “please don’t, don’t,” the affidavit states. She was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital for medical attention and later transported to Missoula to complete a rape kit.

Officers later located Twoteeth riding a bicycle and wearing only pajama bottoms, a denim vest and one white sock. After initially denying that he had sex with the woman, Twoteeth allegedly told officers that she had propositioned him, the affidavit states. Twoteeth then said he had alcohol poisoning and requested a ride to the hospital, according to the affidavit.

Officers talked to multiple witnesses who reported seeing Twoteeth and the woman together at a party earlier that night. One witness told officers that the woman could not walk on her own and Twoteeth was “more or less dragging her.” Another reported looking through Twoteeth’s bedroom window and witnessing him and the women having sex.

The alleged victim later recounted that she only remembered drinking earlier in the evening and waking up in the hospital, according to the affidavit.

Investigators were able to obtain DNA evidence linking Twoteeth to the alleged rape.

In November of 2015, Twoteeth was charged with felony aggravated assault after allegedly kicking a sleeping man in the face with what Twoteeth called his “ninja cowboy boots.” That case was eventually dismissed without prejudice however, after prosecutors lost contact with the alleged victim.

Twoteeth faces a minimum sentence of five years in Montana state prison on the sexual intercourse without consent charge. A jury trial was scheduled for Sept. 11.