Avis Man Held for Court in Alleged Indecent Assaults
LOCK HAVEN – An Avis man has been bound over for trial in Clinton County Court on multiple sex-related offenses.
Eric Montague King, 44, of Lafayette Street, Avis, was bound over for trial on one count of stalking, three counts of indecent assault, and one count of harassment by Magisterial District Judge Keith Kibler following a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
Pine Creek Township police allege that King had made unwanted physical contact with three women on three separate occasions in Avis and Pine Creek Township in September and November of this year. Two of the women testified at the preliminary hearing Tuesday and provided detailed accounts of what occurred. The first woman, a 66 year old, testified that she was walking her dog when she encountered King who was also walking his two dogs in Avis on Sept. 23. She said that King almost immediately started making overt sexual comments to her and stated how he could pleasure her in explicit detail. The woman testified that she tried to walk away and told King to stop, but he proceeded to walk after her and continue making explicit comments to her. Stating that she became fearful of King when he wouldn’t stop, she decided to stay in public areas and near main roads and did not return to her home out of fear that King would follow her to her residence. She described how King then made unwanted physical contact with her that was sexual in nature, which she told him to stop. She described how King proceeded to reach into his pants as she was next to him. After approximately an hour, she said that King made a statement that he was “giving up” and that she was able to get away from him and go back to her home. She described being fearful of King and became emotional during her testimony.
The second woman, a 35 year old, testified that she was out in front of her home on Sept. 5 when King approached her from behind, and grabbed her breasts and refused to let her go. The woman, also visibly emotional during her testimony, described how King began to push her toward the back of her property when her two large dogs became aggressive and seemingly scared King away. Sgt. Denny Gill of the Pine Creek Township Police Department also testified Tuesday about a third incident involving an 80 year old woman that was reported to have occurred on Nov. 4. On that occasion, a man later identified by surveillance footage as King approached the woman as she exited the Dollar General store and offered to help put the items she purchased into her car. King reportedly helped with her bags and then began to make explicit sexual comments to the woman. The woman reported that King “asked for a hug” and then touched the woman in an overtly sexual manner.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Kibler denied King’s request for a reduction of his bail after District Attorney Dave Strouse outlined King’s extensive criminal history and described King as a threat to the victims and a threat to the community as a whole. King remains in the Clinton County Correctional Facility in lieu of $85,000 bail.
