Trial begins for New Stanton man charged with bathroom rape at 2020 Halloween party
A Mt. Pleasant woman testified Monday that she intentionally kept quiet during an alleged rape in a bathroom because her daughter was sleeping in the next room.
“I just left the bathroom and didn’t call out for help because my daughter was in the next room sleeping,” she said in Westmoreland County court.
Anthony Lucas, 28, of New Stanton is charged with rape, sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and two counts of indecent assault for the alleged incident on Oct. 31, 2020. His accuser claimed Lucas barged into an unlocked bathroom, exposed himself and forced her to engage in sex.
TribLive does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
The woman testified that she and her 6-year-old daughter visited a Hempfield home that night for trick-or-treating and to carve pumpkins and remained at the residence for a party for adults later that evening. Lucas also was a party guest and had propositioned her for sex earlier that night, she said.
“I said no. While we were playing beer pong, he kept pointing down the hallway and said he wanted to have sex in the bathroom,” she testified.
She said she entered the bathroom to change out of soiled clothing. Lucas came in after that and forced her to have sex.
She said she disclosed the alleged rape moments after she emerged from the bathroom, prompting Lucas to be taken away from the scene by a relative.
In her opening statement to the jury, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger said Lucas’ DNA was found on the accuser’s body.
“He was drunk, and she tried and couldn’t push him off of her,” Ranger said.
Lucas contended the sexual encounter was consensual, according to state police Trooper Keith Sobecki.
Defense attorney Brian Aston suggested Lucas’ accuser concocted the rape allegation to another party guest. That witness testified the accuser was emotional when she disclosed the rape allegation moments after she walked out of the bathroom.
“Is it possible she was upset she had a sexual encounter with my client, then regretted it?” Aston asked.
“It’s possible,” he answered.
Prosecutors will continue to present their case Wednesday.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.