Merrillville man faces felony charges for rape, battery of woman

A Merrillville man is charged with beating, choking and raping a woman.

Pedro G. Sanchez, 42, was charged recently with five felonies including aggravated battery and rape.

He posted a $10,000 cash bond April 11. His next court hearing is April 21.

Police were called just before 4 p.m. March 31 to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Hobart.

When police arrived, the woman’s eye was swollen shut and bruised, the right side of her head was swollen, she had cut under her right eye that was still bleeding, her left eye and lips were swollen, and her throat and hands were bruised.

The victim told police she agreed to meet Sanchez on March 30 to “talk.” He drove her to his house in the 5300 block of Pierce Street.

Sanchez was “stalking” her, angry she was dating someone else.

Once they went into the living room, Sanchez “snapped.” He grabbed her phone and started threatening and screaming at her.

He straddled, beat and choked her on the sofa.

“I didn’t even fight back this time, I’ve learned not to fight back, it’s easier,” she told police later.

She tried to protect her face, but blacked out.

The woman thought she had a concussion, because her head hurt so badly.

Sanchez made her take a bath with him. The woman felt trapped and said they had sex.

“I was scared to die…so I played the love card,” she said, according to court records.

She begged Sanchez to take her home the next day. Sanchez “fled” after the woman’s relative saw her injuries and called the police.

He was also charged with criminal confinement, domestic battery and strangulation.