Rape suspect who fled police pleads

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The man who led police through a four-town police chase after allegedly beating and raping a woman appeared briefly in court Thursday morning.

“It was like being in a Grand Theft Auto game,” Anthony C. Smith, 24, of Nelson Avenue allegedly told a Saratoga Springs Police officer while sitting in the back of a cruiser after crashing a stolen car into the woods.

Police say before Smith ever got into the car and led them on a pursuit while driving drunk, he raped a woman he knew in Saratoga Springs.

Smith pleaded not guilty Thursday morning in City Court, where he was represented by the public defender’s office, according to court documents.

He is facing felony charges of first-degree rape and two counts of firstdegree criminal sex act, as well as third-degree assault, criminal obstruction of breathing, second- degree unlawful imprisonment, third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, third-degree unlawfully fleeing police, driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle with a bloodalcohol content exceeding .08 percent and reckless driving.

He is also facing five counts of failing to stop at a stop sign, two counts of passing red lights, speeding and failure to obey a police officer.

Court documents indicate he made several state- ments to police, in addition to the one comparing his actions to a video game.

“I drank a lot downtown,” he allegedly said. “I saw (his alleged victim) talking to police and I figured I was in trouble, so I took her car and left. … I was going to go up into Greenfield. I figured I was already in trouble; I might as well do it up good.”

Documents also indicate his blood- alcohol content was .13 percent when tests were conducted at 8:52 a.m., about an hour after he crashed the stolen car off Grand Avenue.

“There’s nothing better to show the defendant’s intent than his conduct and his words describing his conduct,” Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said.

Murphy said his office will be presenting the case to the grand jury for felony indictment as soon as reports are back from the crime labs.

Smith faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of firstdegree rape.

Smith remains in Saratoga County Jail on $ 25,000 cash bail, $50,000 bail bond.