Man held on $1 million bond in sex assault

A 23-year-old Post Falls man accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Coeur d’Alene’s City Park on Monday is being held on a $1 million bond.

Daniel Lee Dixon made his first appearance in court Tuesday on two felony charges – lewd conduct with a child under 16 and kidnapping, and misdemeanor charges – enticing children, possession of drug paraphernalia and malicious injury to property.

Dixon was arrested in the park Monday afternoon after a 12-year-old girl reported to her mother that he had grabbed her and forced her to a concealed area near the steps at Independence Point, according to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

“He picked her up and cradled her in his arms and had her on his lap” where he sexually assaulted her, according to Sgt. Christie Wood. The girl started screaming and he let her go, Wood said.

The girl ran to her mother, who called police.

Police were in the area and arrived soon, and while they were interviewing the girl and mother, two other young girls approached them and said Dixon had been trying to wave them over to him, Wood said.

The 12-year-old girl was able to point Dixon out to police in the park, and he was arrested.

While in the patrol car, he kicked out a passenger window, according to police.

While in court Tuesday, as Magistrate Judge Scott Wayman repeated the accusations against Dixon, Dixon sat shaking his head.

When Wayman told Dixon that he was issuing a no-contact order, prohibiting Dixon to have contact with the girl or her mother, Dixon muttered, “Never met her.”

Wayman said that due to the extreme nature of the two felonies, he was imposing a $1 million bond.

He appointed a public defender for Dixon, although Dixon said he may try to hire his own attorney.

Wood said the girl was smart to scream and try to get away.

“She did the right thing,” Wood said.

“The mother has spent a lot of time educating their daughter on stranger danger.”