A 24-year-old man, who allegedly raped an 83-year-old woman in east Dickinson over the weekend, is in custody, Dickinson Police Capt. Joe Cianni said Monday.
Nick Webster, an Idaho native who was living in Dickinson, is being held at the Southwest Multi-County Correction Center in Dickinson, Cianni said.
Cianni added that the victim, who reported the assault at about 1 a.m. Saturday, was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital and later released.
Webster allegedly entered the victim's home through a garage walk-in door, woke her up and "forcibly sexually assaulted her" before fleeing on foot, according to a press release. The victim called 911, Cianni said.
When officers arrived at the scene they saw Webster watching them from the common area of a nearby multi-level apartment complex, Cianni said, adding that officers noticed Webster had physical attributes similar to those the victim described.
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When officers questioned Webster, he gave them "inconsistent statements," Cianni said. Police took Webster to the Law Enforcement Center for additional questioning, according to the press release.
Webster later confessed to the burglary and subsequent rape, and police arrested him at about 4:20 a.m., Cianni said.
He is charged with gross sexual imposition, burglary and interfering with a 911 call, according to the press release.
Assault victims have a place to go for help, locally.
Darianne Johnson, director for the Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center in Dickinson, said there are 22 domestic violence and sexual assault centers in North Dakota.
Johnson added that because there are a growing number of people arriving in Dickinson as part of an ongoing oil boom, residents should practice caution.
"Dickinson is growing very quickly," Johnson said. "You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times."
Rape is the most underreported crime in the United States, according to the North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services website. Additionally, the website states one out of every eight women is a victim of rape.
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Janelle Moos, the council's executive director, said Monday that residents should stay calm after the weekend assault.
"I think the important thing is that people don't panic," Moos said.
