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Lengthy investigation leads to rape charges

By Jay Hodgkins 

Staff Writer 

OCEAN CITY — A 25-year-old taxi driver from Nepal was arrested Friday on rape and sexual assault charges after police completed an extended investigation into rape allegations made last month, according to reports.

An 18-year-old girl reported to Atlantic General Hospital on July 16 that she had been raped, but because the girl was so highly intoxicated when the events occurred the previous night and could not clearly remember several details when police interviewed her, the investigation took weeks to result in an arrest, according to reports.

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Police said Sachindra Nepal picked the woman up during the early morning hours of July 16 when employees at the Bagels N’ Buns on 71st Street hailed a taxi for after she fell asleep in the establishment. 

The woman had run from a party on 73rd Street that had been busted by police, according to reports.

Nepal tried to take the woman home to Ocean Pines, but he told police she couldn’t locate her home and that she agreed to get a hotel room with him for the night to take care of her, according to reports.

Police said Nepal eventually admitted to them he had sexual intercourse with the woman in the hotel after initially denying it.

In addition to second-degree rape, Nepal was charged with second, third- and fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault, according to reports. 

Nepal is currently being held in the Worcester County Jail on $500,000 bond.

jhodgkins@dmg.gannett.com