Warner Robins man indicted on attempted rape charge

PERRY -- A Houston County grand jury indicted a 37-year-old Warner Robins man on Tuesday in connection with an assault against a woman on Wellston Trail.

Robert William Lathrop was indicted on charges of attempted rape and aggravated assault in a Sept. 13 attack of a woman on the popular trail in Warner Robins.

The woman was walking with her child along the trail when Lathrop allegedly tried to engage her in conversation and attacked her, police said.

Lathrop is accused in the indictment of pulling the woman to the ground, getting on top of her and attempting to place his hand over her mouth while she was yelling for help.

She fought him off, and he fled, police said. She suffered minor injuries.

According to the state Department of Corrections website, Lathrop served time in prison for a 2003 child molestation conviction and a 2005 peeping Tom conviction.

Also indicted Tuesday were Charlie Lavar Davis, 19, of Perry, and Tomichealine Wachovia West, 24, of Warner Robins, on charges of attempted armed robbery, of armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Davis and West are accused of attempting to force open a door of a Low-Lo Food Mart in Warner Robins with the intent of committing an armed robbery Aug. 20, and then of robbing the two store clerks at gunpoint of cash and a book of checks a few days later, according to the indictment.

Davis and West also are charged by Perry police, along with two others, in an unrelated Aug. 24 armed robbery of a convenience store in Perry. The others charged in the Perry case are Darrell Deshone Johnson, 23, of Perry, and Tonqueece L. Mobley, 24, of Hawkinsville.

In addition, Darrious Kent Scott, 22, and Derick Devonnita Barker, 21, both of Warner Robins, were indicted on charges of possession of the designer drug, ethylone, with intent to distribute; possession of Xanax, a prescription medication, with intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; fleeing from police and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Barker also was indicted on charges of driving under the influence of drugs when the men were arrested after a police chase. Barker allegedly refused to pull over for a routine traffic stop.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559, or find her on Twitter@becpurser.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Warner Robins man indicted on attempted rape charge ."