Police: Man attempted to rape woman

Bruce Shope, 54, of 602 Railroad Street, was arrested on Monday after officers found him allegedly attempting to rape a woman he knows, according to police reports.

Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1600 block of Sunset Avenue at 8:27 p.m. after callers said a woman was heard inside the home screaming. Once they arrived, they found the victim running out of the house and shouting “Help me, he’s going to kill me.”

Shope followed her out of the house with a knife in his hand. He attempted to attack the officers, who tackled Shope and tasered him while he was on the ground.

The victim told police Shope had allegedly cut off her clothes, held a knife to her throat and said he was going to rape her. She was able to break free when police arrived.

Shope was arrested on two counts of felonious assault, as well as one count each of attempted rape, aggravated burglary, abduction, disrupting public services and resisting arrest. He was placed in the Clark County Jail.

Bethel Township

Dogs killed in garage fire

Two dogs were killed and several others rescued Wednesday in a garage fire on Braun Road in Bethel Twp.

Firefighters responded to the detached garage in the 100 block of Braun Road around 3:45 a.m. and found the building engulfed in fire.

Someone in the area spotted the fire and knocked on the homeowner’s house to make sure residents were able to make it to safety, firefighters said.

Two neighboring homes were damaged by the intense fire, which destroyed the garage.

No injuries were reported, firefighters said.

Firefighters said when they arrived the first hydrant they hooked hoses to would not function properly, which caused a slow down in extinguishing the flames.

A cause of the fire remains under investigation and mutual aid was called from Bethel Twp., Miami County, and New Carlisle fire departments.