Exclusive: Rutherfordton man Charged With Sexual Battery in Random Attack on Popular Trail

Court records allege 23-year-old slapped woman's buttocks by force; magistrate noted defendant was on probation for prior assault convictions

A Rutherfordton man was arrested Sunday and charged with sexual battery following an alleged groping incident on the Thermal Belt Rail Trail (TBRT), according to Rutherford County court records.

Dallas Granville Beheler, 23, of Collett Street in Rutherfordton, was charged June 28 with one count of sexual battery, a Class A1 misdemeanor under North Carolina law. The charge was filed in Rutherford District Court under case number 26CR343930-800.

Public emergency radio traffic on Sunday afternoon captured a woman reporting a "groping" incident on the popular trail near the Rutherfordton-Spindale line. According to the available audio public records, officers advised they were "out with" a suspect at the Dollar General store.

ECourts records filed by the Rutherfordton Police Department allege that Beheler "unlawfully and willfully did for the purpose of sexual arousal [or] sexual gratification engage in sexual contact, with open hand slap on the buttocks" of another person "by force and against the will of the other person."

The alleged victim was identified in court documents as Leah Michael. There is no evidence that she knew the alleged attacker before the incident, documents show.

The magistrate's order states that Rutherfordton Police Officer Connor Clark arrested Beheler without a warrant after determining there was probable cause to believe the offense had occurred.

A Rutherford County magistrate set Beheler's bond at $5,000 secured. In the release order, the magistrate noted that Beheler was already on probation for convictions of assault on a pregnant woman and assault on a female at the time of his arrest.

Court records show Beheler is now "trespassed" from the Rails to Trails (another name for the TBRT) in Rutherfordton and has his first court appearance on June 29.

Under North Carolina law, sexual battery occurs when a person engages in sexual contact with another person by force and against that person's will for the purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification or sexual abuse.

A criminal charge is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.