A Putnam County man sexually assaulted his ex-girlfriend and threatened her with a knife, according to State Police.
Devin James Knicely, 29, of Scott Depot, went to dinner with his ex-girlfriend on Sept. 8. The two then attended a concert at EZ Street, a St. Albans bar, according to a criminal complaint filed in Putnam County Magistrate Court. Although the two were not dating, the woman told police they were "sociable."
After the concert, Knicely convinced the woman to give him a ride back to his home in Scott Depot, according to the complaint filed by State Police Senior Trooper C.J. Eastridge.
Once the two arrived at Knicely's home, he became "very agitated and refused to leave her vehicle," the complaint said. The woman told police he was "agitated about their relationship status."
The woman threatened to drive to a police station, but Knicely allegedly mocked her because she was not familiar with the area. The woman said she got out of the car to walk for help, but Knicely grabbed her and carried her inside his home against her will.
The woman told police she resisted the entire time and screamed for help, trying to get the attention of neighbors, but Knicely is much bigger than she is.
Once inside the home, Knicely allegedly forced her onto his couch and began yelling at the woman about their previous relationship. According to the complaint, he left the room and the woman tried to escape, making it to the front porch before he grabbed her and forced her back inside.
Knicely then forced the woman back onto the couch and held a 10-inch knife to her throat "for several minutes while he berated her," according to the complaint.
The woman jabbed her keys into Knicely's stomach, causing him to drop the knife, which she grabbed and threw into another room, cutting her hand. She ran again, making it to the top of Knicely's driveway before he again grabbed her and forced her back inside the home. She said she was kicking and screaming, and bit him on the arm.
Knicely then allegedly sexually assaulted the woman on the couch, while saying "it was a shame she had to die and they couldn't be together forever."
The woman said he then took her into the bedroom and sexually assaulted her "for an extended period of time," the complaint said. Eventually, the woman told police she was able to convince Knicely everything would be OK with their relationship. The woman was able to leave Knicely's home in the early hours of Sept. 9.
The woman told troopers she thought Knicely was going to kill her that night, so she left specific pieces of jewelry in specific and unusual locations. Troopers searched Knicely's home, where they found the jewelry and an "intense" bite mark on his forearm, the complaint said. When police questioned Knicely he told the two did have an argument about their relationship, but had consensual sex.
Knicely was charged with first-degree sexual assault. If convicted, he faces 15 to 35 years and prison and fines of up to $10,000.
Knicely is being held at the Western Regional jail. No bond information was listed Thursday.
Reach Carlee Lammers at Carlee.Lammers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1230 or follow @CarleeLammers on Twitter.