Man accused of park attack charged for rape in separate case

By Emily Sinovic KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: Jul 31, 2012 at 5:34 PM PDT

PORTLAND, Ore. – The man accused of attacking a woman on a Portland park trail Sunday was charged with rape in a separate case during a court appearance Tuesday.

Kenneth Couch, 24, is accused of raping a woman in Gresham. Police have not released many details about that case but Portland police said Gresham detectives were also out at the scene Monday when police arrested Couch for an alleged attack in Hoyt Arboretum. In that case, Michelle Dickson told police a man matching Couch’s description followed her and then grabbed her by the neck while walking alone on Wildwood Trail.

"I get a breath and scream before he gets his sentence out," Dickson told KATU News Monday. "Then he tries to grab me, and then he lets me go, and people were with me within 10 seconds. ... He was definitely big enough that if he wanted to he could have pulled me off the trail. He just didn't do it, I think, because I scared him."

Dickson said she screamed as loud as she'd screamed in her life. She said that blood-curdling scream probably saved her life, shocking her attacker and getting him to run off.

Police found Couch after following up on a lead from park rangers and zoo security in the area near Hoyt Arboretum. They found him with a tent, not too far from the trail where Dickson said she was attacked.

A criminal background check found Couch was arrested for possession of marijuana earlier this month.

During his court appearance, the judge warned him not to contact his alleged victims.

In all, Couch faces charges of first-degree rape, robbery and two counts of strangulation. He is being held on more than a quarter million dollars bail.