COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater City Police say a Coldwater man has been charged with sexually assaulting a preteen girl in an incident that allegedly occurred a year ago this month. 59-year old Duane Woellert was arraigned yesterday in Branch County District Court on one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct.
According to police, the reported victim identified as a female under the age of 13 was taken to ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital and treated and released after being seen by a sexual assault nurse examiner. Officers said the alleged offense occurred in an apartment complex on West State Street where Woellert lives and where he was arrested Wednesday, February 20, 2019.
Police said there were other people in his apartment when the alleged sexual assault of the victim happened in the early morning hours of February 25, 2018. Authorities were notified of the incident late that afternoon while the warrant seeking Woellert’s arrest was signed by the Branch County Prosecutor’s Office February 5, 2019.
Woellert is being held on $200,000 bond with a probable cause hearing in District Court set for February 28th.
