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Youngstown man accused of sex crime in W.Va.
By Joe Gorman
WESTOVER, W.Va.
A Youngstown man accused of jumping into a 16-year-old’s car while she was at a drive-through and sexually assaulting her is being held in a West Virginia jail on $100,000 bond.
Kurtis Byrd, 50, is accused of sexual battery, and other charges could be added, said Westover police Chief Rick Panico.
Byrd was arrested early April 22, just hours after the attack at a McDonald’s across the street from a hotel that Byrd and some friends were staying at.
Panico said Byrd walked across from the hotel he was at and climbed into the car of the victim while she was in the drive-through of McDonald’s. Byrd made the victim pay for the food, then sexually assaulted her, then had her drive back to the hotel to drop him off, Panico said. He even gave the victim his phone number, Panico said.
The victim drove herself home then to a hospital where police were called. Officers were able to view security footage from McDonald’s before picking up Byrd, Panico said.
Panico said officers found pornography in the car Byrd was driving.
Court information for Byrd was unavailable Monday, but he is still being held in the North Central Regional Jail.