Newport Man Accused of Assaulting Woman He Met at Bar

NEWPORT, RI—A 35-year-old Newport man is accused sexually assaulting a woman he met at a city bar Monday night by leading her into a wooded area before grabbing her phone and pulling down her dress before she escaped.

Rodolfo Alexander Oliva Santo, 35, is also facing charges of cocaine possession, obstruction of justice and failure to relinquish a telephone for the alleged crimes, which began with an encounter at a city bar.

The victim, 26, told police that she left the bar with Santos and saw her car was towed for a parking violation. 

They went to the tow lot and when the victim realized she couldn't pay to get her car back, Santos reportedly told the victim that he'd help her if she went with him into the woods, according to a police report.

Santos became forceful, according to the report, and allegedly grabbed her, took her phone as she tried to call 911 and started pulling of her clothes before she managed to flee.

Police said Santos was arrested early Tuesday morning after a struggle and he was later found to be carrying a small amount of cocaine.

Santos was ordered held without bail as a probation violator stemming from a unrelated conviction for assault last year.