Largo man faces charges of molestation, battery

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 6, 2001

LARGO -- A man was arrested Sunday on charges he grabbed a teenage girl and then struck a 13-year-old boy who came to her aid, police reported.

Michael Quintin Rath, 31, of 9618 129th Ave. N was arrested on charges of lewd or lascivious molestation and battery, records state.

He is accused of approaching a group of children about 5 p.m. in the 900 block of Palm Avenue N. He grabbed the girl in a sexual manner, records state. A 13-year-old boy yelled at Rath, who grabbed the boy and struck him in the chest and face, reports state.

Police arrested Rath, who left the scene in a car, within 15 minutes. Tests showed his blood-alcohol level to be more than twice the limit at which it is presumed a person is unable to safely operate a vehicle; he was arrested on additional charges of drunken driving and driving without a license, records state. He also was arrested on a marijuana possession charge, police said.

He was being held on $54,050 bail.

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