Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale Man Charged in Alleged Sexual Assault Earlier This Month

Police in Fort Lauderdale have arrested a man they say sexually assaulted a woman outside an apartment complex earlier this month.

Officials say 41-year-old James Hodge was arrested Thursday morning and charged with sexual battery by force.

According to the police report, the victim told police she was walking in the early morning hours of October 5th on Middle River Drive and Northeast 26th Street when a man jumped out, tackled and assaulted her in the lawn of a nearby apartment complex.

Detectives say when she screamed or tried to fight him, he threatened to kill her.

Police obtained and released video earlier this week of a car, described as an older Ford Crown Victoria, that they identified as the one allegedly driven by Hodge before the attack.

Police said he was arrested at an auto shop where he works in Fort Lauderdale. Hodge is a registered sex offender, having served 10 years in federal prison before being released in 2011 for having sex with a minor in 2000 while living in Coral Springs.

Hodge later violated his probation in 2011 and was arrested again, being placed on probation again - which ended in 2013. He is being held on $750,000 bond Thursday, jail records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.

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