14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, OwensboroFL Sheriff: Alarm company salesman facing rape charges
TAMPA, FL (NBC) –
A door to door salesman with a Florida alarm company is facing several charges, including rape, after allegedly attacking a woman he first tried to sell a home alarm system. even after his arrest, officials say the man made a chilling statement about the attack. Larry McKinnon with the Hillsborough County Florida Sheriff's Deptartment says, “What concerns us about this case is this individual has been out there going door to door for some time we dont know how long but evidently his violent nature of the attack and his arrogance in believing this woman would not say we're just wondering are there other victims who have been holding back this horrible secret.”Deputies say Friday night around 6 p.m., Rashad Hales, a door to door salesman selling ADT Security Systems through secure watch knocked on a woman's door. The woman told Hales her fiancé made those decisions but wasn't home and asked him to leave. Hales left, came back, and deputies say he forced his way into the woman's home and locked the door behind him. Deputies say Hales beat and choked the victim with his hands and an electrical cord until he thought she was going to pass out. McKinnon says, “Once the attack was over he took her into the kitchen where he armed himself with a kitchen knife put it to her throat and threatened to kill her if he told anyone. He even took her cell phone so she could not make a 911 call. “When the woman's boyfriend came home, he called the authorities. They caught up with Hales at a Shell Gas station, where Hales' supervisor kept him until deputies arrived. (gas station video) McKinnon says, “His only regret was that he didn't kill her thats a strong statement that sends chills up anybody's spine”Hales faces a laundry list of charges including attempted murder, kidnapping, sexual battery, tampering with a witness, preventing someone from calling 911 and burglary.
