MIDDLEFIELD — Village police arrested a Middlefield Township man Thursday on charges of sexual imposition connected to an alleged attack of a 23-year-old woman on Sunday.
The woman was walking her dog along a buggy path off north from Tare Creek Parkway when accosted by Ervin Byler, 37, of 16035 Nauvoo Road , said Police Chief Joseph Stehlik.
The parkway is a two-lane bypass around the village west off Route 608 to Route 87. It is used as a recreation trail and the Amish drive their horse-drawn buggies into town from the north on the dirt path.
The woman told police the man came out of the woods as she neared a covered bridge on the path. He insisted on talking to her and at one point grabbed her clothing.
Her dog, a pit bull mix, jumped on the man when he tried to hug the woman. She told him to go away.
Stehlik said the man continued to follow the woman back to where her car was parked on Tare Creek Parkway.
“About the same time one of our officers was patrolling on Route 608, then saw the man emerge from the buggy path. The woman saw the officer and told him what happened.” Stehlik said.
Byler’s description was given police by the woman. Police canvassed the area and found the subject. He was questioned by officers about the incident, Stehlik said.
The case was referred first to the Geauga County prosecutor’s office, then referred back to village police prosecutor Dennis Coyne to pursue, Stehlik said.
Byler was arrested Thursday and cited to appear in Chardon Municipal Court on the third-degree misdemeanor charge. Byler if convicted faces a possible six-month jail sentence and fine.
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