GREENFIELD — Prosecutors filed a charge of sexual battery against a New Palestine man this week after a girl with a mental disability accused him of sexual assault following an incident at local campground.
The victim told police 33-year-old Dylan Veteto, 5132 W. Lilac Lane, New Palestine, forced himself on her Sunday evening near a fishing pond at the S&H Campgrounds, located along County Road 100N in Greenfield.
The girl said Veteto kissed and fondled her, according to court documents. At least six people told police they witnessed the incident.
The victim’s mother told police her daughter has a mental disability and functions as a 5-year-old, court documents state.
The girl told investigators Veteto forced himself on her while they were standing near his car, which was parked by a pond on the campground where a handful of people were fishing at the time, according to court documents.
When witnesses confronted Veteto, he shouted at them that he didn’t care if they called police because he had done nothing wrong, court documents state.
After that, he drove away from the campsite.
Several witnesses told police they alerted the girl’s family about what had they had seen, court documents state.
One witness called 911, and officers stopped Veteto’s car as he was headed south on County Road 600W, where officers confronted the suspect, and a scuffle broke out, courts documents state.
Police say Veteto fought with them, pulling away when they tried to put him in handcuffs, court documents state. It took three officers to control him, court documents state.
Eventually, he calmed down and agreed to speak with investigators, records state.
Veteto told officers he’d done nothing wrong. He said the girl was flirting with him, then, as they were talking, she leaned in and kissed him, he said, according to court documents.
Veteto told police he didn’t know the girl had a disability, and he didn’t mean to cause any trouble.
Police arrested Veteto shortly after the incident was reported, court documents state; formal charges were filed against him Monday.
He faces one Level 6 felony count of sexual battery and one Class A misdemeanor of resisting law enforcement.
Veteto appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He remained in the Hancock County Jail on $1,000 cash bond at press time.