Man allegedly rapes woman near Sunbury flood wall

Sunbury, Pa. — A Harrisburg man is accused of allegedly strangling and raping a mentally disabled woman near the flood wall in Sunbury.

Shawn Ruggiero, 27, visited the female accuser at her family's home on June 24 when the two got into an argument. Ruggiero threatened to drown the woman in the river, then walked with her from the home to the flood wall, according to Officer Tobias Blank of Sunbury Police Department. The woman's family contacted police, who found Ruggiero and the woman at the flood wall near Pennsylvania Avenue, according to the affidavit.

Blank noted that the accuser did not have pants on. The accuser told police that Ruggiero choked her at her family's home. Ruggiero claimed he was "just playing with her," according to the affidavit. Ruggiero put the accuser in a headlock at least twice, restricting her ability to breathe, the accuser told police.

When asked why her pants were off, the accuser told police that Ruggiero had forced her to have sex. Ruggiero told police the accuser took her pants off because she was hot, according to the affidavit.

Upon further questioning, Ruggiero admitted to police he had sex with the accuser but claimed it was consensual.

Police charged Ruggiero with felony counts of rape, rape of a mentally disabled person, strangulation, aggravated indecent assault, misdemeanors of terroristic threats, and related charges. Ruggiero remains in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 9 at the office of District Judge Rachel Wiest-Benner.

Docket Sheet