Evansville man charged with rape, strangulation and confinement

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – An Evansville man was arrested after authorities say he strangled and sexually assaulted a woman as she tried to leave her home.

According to probable cause, officers were dispatched to the 2300 block of Walnut Lane on Thursday after a caller reported a man was holding his friend hostage. Police officers arriving at the scene said they contacted 24-year-old Cain Patton, who said he did not know why officers were repeatedly called to that address or who was calling.

Police said they also spoke with a woman who said she was waiting at home for her friend to pick her up. Before leaving the scene, officers said the caller arrived and showed a text message between him and the woman in the home stating that an assault had occurred the night before. After seeing the message, police re-entered the home to speak with Patton and the woman separately.

While speaking with the pair, officers said they learned Patton and the woman had started talking to each other via Snapchat a week earlier and had first met in person the night before. The woman initially said Patton did not physically intervene but that she was anxious about leaving. She claimed Patton said he had “no choice” about leaving, but she wasn’t sure if he was serious.

After another officer arrived on the scene, the woman reported that Patton suffocated her to the point she could not breathe, hit her in the back of the head, and sexually penetrated her after she said he would not leave. She also told officers that Patton held a knife to her neck while she was at the house.

Patton was arrested and charged with rape, confinement, strangulation, intimidation with a deadly weapon and battery. He is being held without bail.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, go to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).