‘I was afraid to fight’: Woman details rape allegations against former Spokane cop

SPOKANE, Wash. — Newly filed court documents detail evidence that led the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to arrest a former Spokane cop for rape. 

Nathan Nash was arrested Wednesday morning on second-degree rape and unlawful imprisonment charges stemming from an incident in July 2019. 

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Court records show the victim, a 40-year-old woman with a minor cognitive disability, called 911 to report being harassed and assaulted by her neighbor. 

Nash was one of two SPD officers who responded to the call. According to court documents, Nash spoke with the victim and looked at her injuries from the assault, then gave her a crime victim’s card with “his phone number” on the back. 

Nash reportedly told the victim he would return the next day to “take pictures.” 

The following day, Nash called the victim through a phone number she did not recognize, saying he would come back to her apartment. Court documents say Nash told the victim to “wear a dress.” 

The victim said Nash arrived in his SPD uniform and asked if it would be okay if he took his portable radio off. 

She then said Nash pulled her dress up and sexually assaulted her with his fingers. The victim told police she did not know how to respond and feared he might shoot her. 

The victim said Nash then sexually assaulted her with his penis. She told police she was “afraid to fight” because he “had his uniform and gun on and everything.” Afterwards, Nash reportedly pulled her into the bathroom, turned on the shower head and pulled her into the water. She said she thought he was going to drown her and he told her to clean up.

Nash and the victim talked frequently on the phone for about a month. He returned to her apartment about a month later, not wearing a uniform, and the two had sex. 

She did not report the allegations until last month. She called police to ask if charges were ever filed against her neighbor. A dispatch supervisor called the victim and during their conversation, she said Nash “violated” her. 

The new charges come as Nash was awaiting trial on a second-degree rape charge from a separate incident. In that case, the victim reported a similar encounter with Nash. 

Nash responded to that woman’s home on October 15, 2019 for a report of a domestic dispute and assault. 

According to court documents, the woman tried contacting Nash to show him photos of bruises and hospital records as evidence. 

Nash is said to have returned to her home in a marked police vehicle a week later, and went into her bedroom to examine her. 

The victim told authorities she lowered her pants so Nash could see a bruise on her and he then used his fingers to penetrate her. 

In that case, court records also show Nash gave the woman his personal cell phone number. 

Nash was arrested and booked for second-degree rape, but was later released on his own recognizance. 

Nash was arrested on the new charges Wednesday morning and remains in the Spokane County Jail. 

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