Man arrested on assault charge

By Elisa Glushefski

Published: August 20, 2008

A 27-year-old Culpeper man has been arrested on felony charges related to a sexual assault of an acquaintance on Monday, Prince William County police reported Wednesday.

The U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force arrested Lester Nehemiah Butler, 27, of 1907 Cotton Tail Drive, on charges of rape, abduction and domestic assault and battery in Fredericksburg around 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to a police news release.

Butler is being held without bond, but no court date was available, police said.

The incident happened around 10:15 p.m. Monday when a 31-year-old woman driving to visit a friend noticed an acquaintance was following her, the release states.

She pulled off Interstate 95 onto U.S. 1 near Joplin Road in Triangle to find out why he was following her, police said.

"A physical altercation ensued, ending with the subject pushing her into a car and driving around for a period of time," police said.

During that time, the woman was raped, said police spokeswoman Sharon Richardson.

The woman convinced the abductor to let her go at around 2 a.m. Tuesday, police said.

Staff writer Elisa Glushefski can be reached at 703-878-8062.