Man charged with raping teenage girl behind convenience store in north Spokane

Spokane police arrested a man Wednesday suspected of raping a minor behind a convenience store in north Spokane.

On Jan. 22, the 14-year-old girl told Spokane police officers that she had been sexually assaulted two days prior in an alley behind the 7-Eleven at 924 E. Empire Ave. William Pal, 22, is facing charges of second-degree rape and three charges of rape of a child.

Court documents filed Wednesday say the girl got into an argument with her sister at about 6 p.m. on Jan. 20, and decided to walk around the neighborhood. At about 7 p.m., she walked to the 7-Eleven, where she said she was approached by Pal.

She said he offered her marijuana and an alcoholic beverage, so the two went to an alleyway behind the store, court documents say. After about an hour, the girl said Pal started kissing her and then became more aggressive.

Without her consent, he led her further down the alley next to an outbuilding with a blue tarp and proceeded to rape her, according to court records.

After the assault, the girl told police she was able to get a ride from a woman at the convenience store. Two days later, she reported the attack to police, who swabbed her for traces of male DNA.

Officers investigated the 7-Eleven and found evidence at the scene described by the girl, according to court documents. The ground near the building with the tarp was recently disturbed, and the girl’s recollection of what happened matched the physical characteristics of the area.

Police also talked to a worker at the 7-Eleven, who said he remembered refusing to sell alcohol to the man. He said the male was about 5-foot-6, skinny, had short facial hair and dark clothing.

On Jan. 25, police stopped Pal in the area of Wellesley Avenue and Crestline Street after noticing he fit the description of a man videotaped on the store’s surveillance system. He told police he remembered having sexual contact with the girl, but described the act as consensual. Pal said he was about a “7 or 8” out of 10 on a scale of how drunk he was during the encounter.

Detectives requested a search warrant Wednesday to search the man’s clothing and collect a DNA sample.

At Pal’s first court appearance Thursday, Superior Court Judge James Triplet set bond at $50,000 and forbade Pal from having contact with the girl.