Local Woman Claims Cops Raped Her

Officers Investigation Baldwin County woman files report with sheriff's office says three Orange Beach police officers sexually assaulted her

by Pat Peterson

Published: Wed, May 21, 2008 - 6:26 pm CST

A major police investigation involving allegations of rape is underway in Baldwin County. Sheriff Hoss Mack tells News 5 his office, along with the District Attorney's Office is investigating a report of rape involing police officers with the Orange Beach Police Department.

"The chief down in Orange Beach is conducting his internal investigation, but the woman called us Sunday and notified us about the alleged rape," says Mack. "The allegations are serious and we're looking into it closely.

"We are checking out the allegations," says Orange Beach Police Chief Billy Wilkins. "We've questioned six officers and are looking into the report closely."

The woman claims she was pulled over by two patrol cars and and SUV resembling Orange Beach cruisers Saturday night near Perdido Pass. The alleged victim then told investigators she was pulled out of the car and raped behind a sand-dune by two officers, while a third officers acted as a look-out.

"Although we are taking this seriously, I don't think my officers were involved," says Wilkins. "They were all given polygraph tests and all of them passed. I'm not saying what she's alleging didn't happen, I'm saying I don't think my men were involved."

Wilkins says officers from other agencies could have been involved and even suggest perhaps security guards working with private firms along the beach could have been mistaken for his officers. Or, Wilkins says, the sexual assault might not have even happened.

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