BEAVER, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A domestic disturbance at the Sleep Inn Hotel on Airport Road in Beaver led to the arrest of a man early Friday morning on charges of strangulation and second-degree sexual assault.
On November 15, 2024, at approximately 1:40 a.m., Corporal J. Rice of the Beckley Police Department responded to the hotel after receiving reports of a domestic altercation in Room 168. Upon arrival, deputies encountered Rodil Roberto Franco, a Hispanic male from Maryland, who appeared intoxicated and had visible scratches on his neck and torn clothing.
Inside the room, police spoke with a female victim, who alleged that Franco, after an argument, had taken her phone and car keys to prevent her from leaving. She further stated that Franco choked her with a phone charging cord during the altercation. Officers noted a red mark on her neck consistent with the cord. She also displayed scrapes on her knee and reported that the hotel’s landline phone had been damaged to prevent her from calling for help.
She told officers that the situation escalated when Franco made threats and sexually assaulted her after pinning her on the bed. She stated that she was too shocked and physically weak to resist Franco’s actions. Afterward, Franco continued to demand that she call the police, allegedly making additional threats.
EMS was dispatched to the scene and transported the victim to Raleigh General Hospital for medical evaluation and a sexual assault examination. Evidence, including the damaged phone cord, was collected from the scene and documented by police.
Franco, who was interviewed with the assistance of a translation app, claimed that the victim had attacked him and scratched his neck. Officers detected the odor of alcohol on Franco, and he exhibited signs of intoxication, including red and bloodshot eyes.
Franco was arrested on charges of strangulation and second-degree sexual assault. He was processed and transported to the Southern Regional Jail without incident.
