Fall River man accused of drugging, raping teen

FALL RIVER (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A 40-year-old Fall River resident has been arrested in New Jersey for allegedly drugging, beating, and raping a 17-year-old local girl.

Eduardo Rodriguez is accused of picking up the teen, who is a family friend, after a sports practice on March 23 and driving her to his apartment on North Main Street. Once at the apartment, Rodriguez allegedly gave the girl alcohol and pills before beating her into submission and raping her multiple times.

Following the attack, the girl was driven to Brockton and dumped behind a strip mall. The girl was found unconscious by a passerby the next day. Brockton Police were called and the victim was taken to Brockton Hospital then transferred to Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

An investigation involving Massachusetts State, Fall River, and Brockton Police, revealed that Rodriguez had fled to the Newark, New Jersey area. He was arrested on Saturday after New Jersey troopers set up surveillance on and stopped a car he was in.

Rodriguez will be brought back to Massachusetts where he will face charges of aggravated rape, kidnapping, aggravated assault and battery, and drugging a victim for purposes of sexual intercourse.