A Hawthorne man was put into custody Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of breaking into a lesbian couple’s home and sexually assaulting a woman.
Roderas Rutledge, 54, faces two felony charges and a misdemeanor: attempted sexual battery of a person 18 years or older, burglary of an occupied home unarmed and indecent exposure.
Rutledge, known as “Scoot” by the couple, entered the woman’s home with the intent to use drugs, according to his arrest report.
The woman told him to leave; instead, he allegedly grabbed the woman’s crotch over her clothes. He then allegedly dropped his pants and underwear before grabbing the woman. He attempted to pull her on top of him and said, “You’re gonna f–-k me,” according to the report.
She escaped while her girlfriend called 911. Rutledge left before the police arrived.
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of Scoot bothering customers at a Shell Station two hours later, according to the report.
Deputies informed Rutledge he was being detained for the earlier incident with the woman. He allegedly called the couple a homophobic slur when told he was a suspect.
Rutledge allegedly admitted to going to the couple’s home to use drugs and admitted to leaving before cops arrived out of fear, but denied the charges, according to the report.
He was sent to Alachua County Jail with a bond of $240,000.
Rutledge also faces two misdemeanor charges, stalking and trespassing, from a February incident where deputies received reports Rutledge allegedly harassed a Dollar General employee over several months.
He allegedly made multiple unwanted sexual advances toward the employee, asked other employees what vehicle she drove and asked where she lived, according to the report.
Rutledge’s next trial date isn’t known as of Wednesday afternoon.
Contact Aidan Bush at abush@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @aidandisto.
Aidan Bush is a third-year journalism major and the Spring 2024 Engagement Managing Editor of The Alligator. In his free time, he likes to listen to music and go kayaking.
