BENTONVILLE -- A Bentonville man is accused of beating and raping a woman from Bella Vista.
Andre Crawford, 37, was arrested earlier this month in connection with two counts of rape, three counts of aggravated assault on family or household member, terroristic threatening, harassing communications, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Prosecutors haven't filed any formal charges against Crawford.
"The state chose to willfully ignore direct evidence that there was no rape," said Shane Wilkinson, Crawford's attorney. "Text messages and an abundance of video evidence conclusively show otherwise. This was a reckless decision by the state of Arkansas that flies in the face of common sense."
He was arrested Aug. 11 and released from custody on a $25,000 bond.
A woman reported to Bella Vista police Crawford abused her from November 2020 to April 2022 and she provided police a timeline of the abuse, according to a probable cause affidavit.
She accused Crawford of choking her and forcing her to perform a sex act in November 2020, according to court documents.
The woman documented Crawford physically abused her in his car in May 2021 and she provided photographs of her injuries from the incident to police, according to the affidavit.
She said Crawford choked her in November 2021 until she passed out; she also told police Crawford showed up at her house in February 2022 and beat her with a belt and raped her, according to the affidavit.
Crawford's arraignment is set for 8 a.m. Sept. 18 in Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green's courtroom.