Police

Suspect in attempted rape being held on $50K bail

Richard Rause, 30, of Wading River being led to his arraignment Friday morning. (Credit: Carrie MIller)
Richard Rause, 30, of Wading River being led to his arraignment Friday morning. (Credit: Carrie MIller)

Update: These charges were scheduled to be dropped, it was announced in court on Jan. 26.

A Wading River man accused of attempting to rape a woman at gunpoint was being held at the Riverside jail on $50,000 cash bail Friday morning, awaiting word of a grand jury indictment.

Southampton Town police said Richard Rause, 30, allegedly attacked a 30-year-old woman about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday behind Wildwood Bowling Alley in Northampton.

Mr. Rause held a gun to the woman’s head, punching and hitting her before attempting to rape her, according to a police press release. The unidentified 30-year-old victim was able to “fight her assailant off” and called 911, officials said.

Southampton Town Police, New York State Police, the New York State Police K-9 unit and Suffolk County Police helicopters responded to the scene, but were unable to locate the suspect, officials said.

Following an investigation, Southampton Town Police detectives identified Mr. Rause as the suspect and arrested him at his home, police said.

After being handcuffed and placed in a police car, Mr. Rause exited the vehicle and attempted to escape, but was “apprehended a few seconds later after a brief struggle,” according to the release.

Mr. Rause is charged with first-degree attempted rape, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and escape in the second degree, all felony charges, officials said.

Southampton Town Justice Edward Burke set bail at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond as requested by prosecutors with the county District Attorney’s office during his arraignment Friday. An order of protection was also issued for the victim.

Mr. Rause has one prior misdemeanor conviction, with other misdemeanor charges currently pending in county court, prosecutors said.

Family members, who asked that their names not be used, said Mr. Rause is a father who works for a Wading River welding company, and is not known to bowl at the Northampton alley.

“He’s a good kid. He loves his family. This just doesn’t make sense. It is not the kind of man he is,”one family member said, adding that the family had just returned from a trip to Florida to attend a funeral for Mr. Rause’s father.

He is due back in court on Wednesday, Jan. 21.