PD News

June 18, 2009

Cops probe sex assault allegations

West Pittston police say they shot at suspect’s vehicle Tuesday after he allegedly tried to run them down.

By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Edward Lewis on Facebook   |   @TLEdLewis on Twitter

WEST PITTSTON – Police searched the Wilkes-Barre residence of Stephen Bidgood Wednesday afternoon during an investigation of allegations made by a teenaged girl who said she was sexually assaulted.

Bidgood’s residence on North Empire Street was searched a day after a West Pittston police officer shot at Bidgood’s 1995 Jeep Wrangler in the parking lot of Antonio’s Pizza, Luzerne Avenue, just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

State police at Wyoming, which investigated the shooting, said in arrest records that Bidgood, 30, nearly struck officers Ryan Foy and Michael Turner when he attempted to escape in his vehicle.

Foy fired two shots that struck the Jeep’s tires, state police said. Bidgood was then apprehended.

Details about why police in West Pittston and Exeter Township were investigating Bidgood are unclear in arrest records.

A search warrant for Bidgood’s residence indicates police suspect he picked up the teen girl in the same parking lot on Monday and sexually assaulted her while he drove on state Route 92 and on a dirt road in Exeter Township.

Bidgood was charged on Wednesday with two counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail.

No charges have been filed in connection with the alleged sexual assault.

Police were observed taking a computer tower and two boxes from Bidgood’s residence Wednesday afternoon.

According to the search warrant affidavit filed by West Pittston police and the arrest records filed by state police:

A teenaged girl told West Pittston police on Monday that she was sexually assaulted by a man known as “Chris.”

The girl claimed she met him when he sent her an instant message on the Internet about two weeks ago. “Chris” offered her $500 if she e-mailed him sexually explicit pictures, which she did.

Police were told that “Chris” e-mailed her information that indicated he deposited $500 in a Pay Pal account in the girl’s name.

She claimed the man offered her $1,000 if she had sex with him. She agreed and arranged to meet “Chris” in Antonio’s parking lot at about 8:30 p.m. Monday, according to the search warrant affidavit.

The girl said she got into a Jeep Wrangler and “Chris” drove on Route 92 while he forced her to perform a lewd act on him. He turned onto a dirt road in Exeter Township and placed his cell phone on the Jeep’s dashboard, telling the girl he was going to record their sexual encounter.

The girl said “Chris” said to her, according to the search warrant affidavit, “What if my real name isn’t Chris?”

Police said the girl was dropped off on Exeter Avenue before walking to the West Pittston Police Department to report the alleged sexual assault.

State police allege in arrest records that Bidgood was to meet an unnamed victim at Antonio’s Pizza on Tuesday night.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on June 24 in Central Court.

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