Man charged in connection with rape, assault still at large

Charges have been filed and an arrest warrant issued for a Caruthersville, Missouri, man in connection with an assault and rape that took place last week in Cape Girardeau.

Eric Dwayne Woods, 26, was charged Thursday with first-degree rape, assault and burglary, and felonious restraint. He was not in police custody as of Saturday afternoon.

A probable-cause statement says an officer responded Tuesday to South Benton Street near the corner of Independence Street for a report of a domestic assault in progress. He spoke with the victim, who told him Woods, the father of her children, arrived at her home about 1 p.m. demanding money. The victim had an ex-parte order of protection against Woods.

She told Woods to leave, the statement said, but he forced entry into her home and "assaulted her numerous times over a period of approximately one hour, striking her numerous times on her head, face and back with his fists, while preventing her from leaving the residence."

The victim said that at one point, she was holding her 7-month-old son when Woods struck her, causing her to drop the infant onto her bed. The child was uninjured.

She managed to escape the house, according to the statement, but Woods pushed her down and forced her into the bedroom, where he raped her.

She eventually escaped again and Woods chased her, striking her in front of witnesses and fleeing the scene before police arrived.

Bond for Woods has been set at $100,000 cash-only and with the special condition that he have no contact with the victim.

Pertinent address:

South Benton Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.