PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Hadlock man has been charged with attempted second-degree rape following an alleged domestic violence incident outside a bar.
Louis Donovon Beggio, 31, was arrested Tuesday on a bench warrant and had a preliminary appearance in Jefferson County Superior Court on Wednesday. He remained at the county jail in lieu of $10,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, Oct. 4.
Beggio was charged Sept. 4 with the attempted rape of a woman who was incapable of consent due to being physically helpless or mentally incapacitated, court documents said.
The charge is a Class A felony, punishable up to life in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.
Charging papers include statements from six witnesses, including the alleged victim and her current boyfriend.
The documents say the woman and her boyfriend were having drinks and dancing at a Port Hadlock bar on July 5, and Beggio approached the woman when her boyfriend went to the bathroom.
Beggio and the woman had previously been in a relationship, court documents said.
The woman told a sheriff’s deputy Beggio bought her a drink when her boyfriend was away, and she doesn’t remember anything after that.
Witnesses described Beggio picking up the woman and carrying her over his shoulder to have sex in the bushes outside of the bar, but others intervened before that could happen, according to court documents.
Beggio reportedly told one witness it was a prearranged meeting, but the witness told Beggio the woman had too much to drink and had become incapacitated, documents said.
Three people allegedly followed Beggio outside to stop him, Deputy Darrin Dotson wrote in his report.
The woman’s boyfriend carried her to his truck, and he drove them both to his home, court documents stated.
Beggio failed to appear for a preliminary hearing last Friday. A warrant was issued for his arrest Tuesday, court documents said.
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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.