Witness thwarts attack on disabled woman in Attleboro

By Josh Faiola & Brittany Comak

Email: bcomak@abc6.com

Twitter: @BComakABC6

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WLNE) – An Attleboro man is behind bars after police say he kidnapped and raped a disabled woman Friday morning.

Officers disrupted the assault thanks to a witness who saw the woman being forced into a van and called police.

Authorities charged David Rogers, 67, with aggravated rape, assault and battery, kidnapping, and indecent assault on a disabled person, who is attorney says he knows.

“I’m not going to suggest it was boyfriend/girlfriend but clearly they knew each other prior to this particular incident,” said Attorney Josh Werner outside of Attleboro District Court.

According to police they caught Rogers sexually assaulting the disabled woman in a van parked at the MBTA station in Attleboro.

“We are just extremely grateful that a citizen called 9-1-1 upon seeing what was going on,” said Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux.

That citizen, who asked to just go by Dawn, tells ABC 6 she’s relieved she called police. She had a feeling something was horribly wrong.

“She was walking fast along the driveway of where the buses are,” recalled Dawn. “And she kept looking toward her back.”

Dawn was walking her dogs and says she saw Rogers suddenly pick up something like a sack of potatoes, and throw it into a van.

“I said, ‘Oh my god, he took her,'” said Dawn.

The van, then speeding into the Attleboro MBTA lot, parked in a secluded corner.

“Not right. Not right. Not right. This is wrong,” Dawn remembered thinking.

She called police and kept watch to make sure the van didn’t leave.

“I don’t want to be the one, ‘I should have said something.’ No. Today was the day,” she said.

After Attleboro officers grabbed Rogers, the 57-year-old disabled woman was taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, where she was treated.

Authorities say Rogers confessed to everything at the police station.

“A full, fair hearing as to exactly what was going on might reveal something different than what the allegations suggest,” said Werner.

As for Dawn, she’s relieved she possibly saved this woman’s life.

“It was meant to be for me to watch out for her,” she said. “I love her! I’m glad she’s going to be safe.”

Rogers will remain in jail until at least next week when a judge will determine if he is too dangerous to be released.

©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2020