Richard K. Rause of Wading River pleads not guilty to attempted rape, weapon charges, DA says

A Wading River man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges in the attempted rape of a woman behind a bowling alley in Northampton on Wednesday.

Richard K. Rause, 30, was charged with first-degree attempted rape, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree escape, all felonies, Southampton police said.

Rause was arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court Friday. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond and an order of protection was issued for the victim. He was represented by Legal Aid, which does not comment on cases.

Police said they responded to a report of a sexual assault behind Wildwood Bowling Alley in Northampton -- near the lake at Wildwood Town Park -- at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. Police said a 30-year-old female was attacked by a man who held a gun to her head, punched and hit her repeatedly, and then tried to rape her. The victim fought the attacker off and called 911, but the man fled, police said. Southampton police, state police, a state K-9 unit and a Suffolk police helicopter responded to search for the man.

Police said that a subsequent investigation led them to arrest Rause Thursday at his home. After Rause was handcuffed and seated in the police vehicle, he fled the car on foot and tried to escape, but was caught a short time later after a brief struggle, police said.

With Ellen Yan