Cop Charged With Raping Woman Twice

MEDIA, Pa. (AP) â€” A police officer has been accused of raping a woman while responding to a call and then returning to her house and raping her again after she phoned 911 for help. <br><br>Christopher

Friday, June 9th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MEDIA, Pa. (AP) â€” A police officer has been accused of raping a woman while responding to a call and then returning to her house and raping her again after she phoned 911 for help.

Christopher Scaggs, 27, a Glenolden officer for 18 months, was charged with rape and sexual assault. He was freed Thursday on $25,000 bail and placed on administrative leave. No preliminary hearing date has been set.

Authorities said Scaggs admitted the crimes on tape when the woman, wearing a hidden recorder provided by investigators, arranged to meet him after the Monday morning incidents.

Scaggs' attorney, S. Stanton Miller, emphasized that Scaggs has not been convicted. ``These are allegations. All we have is the criminal complaint that makes those allegations,'' Miller said.

The situation began with an argument between the 30-year-old woman and her 10-year-old daughter. The girl called her father, who in turn called police and asked them to come with him to the house in suburban Philadelphia.

Scaggs and other officers responded at about 1 a.m. Monday. The father was given custody of the girl, and the two left along with the other officers.

Prosecutors say Scaggs stayed at the home and raped the mother.

The woman called 911 but panicked and hung up before speaking to anyone. Dispatchers traced the call and, as is routine, ordered a patrol car to be sent. Scaggs, the only officer left on duty, responded to the call and raped the woman again at about 3 a.m., authorities said.

She sought treatment at a hospital, which contacted police. Officers then had the woman arrange a meeting at a car dealership where Scaggs moonlighted as a security guard.

``I'm very, very concerned,'' said Delaware County District Attorney Pat Meehan. ``This is a situation again in the Delaware Valley where a person (alleges) that a responding police officer has actually raped a person.''

Michael Evans, a state trooper from Montgomery County, is awaiting trial on charges he sexually assaulted three teen-agers and three women while on duty.