The filing was part of a response to an amended lawsuit filed by the girl, who was working as a Sonic carhop at the time.
The former carhop sued Chris Alred, 30, other Sonic managers, Rangeline Sonic and D. L. Rogers Corporation, which owns the local franchise.
In her lawsuit, the teenager alleged that she encountered an atmosphere of pervasive sexual harassment at the job, which eventually led to what she described as an unwanted sexual encounter with Alred.
That incident led to the filing of felony statutory sodomy charges against Alred, since the carhop was 16 at the time.
In the response that encounter was addressed in a single sentence:
Any and all touching between Alred and Plaintiff was consensual.
In Missouri, however, 16-year-olds cannot legally consent to sex.
A description of what happened, from the teenager's account was included in the September 10 Turner Report:For a time, Alred was transferred to another Sonic, but he called the girl and asked her to come to his Joplin apartment where his wife was home at the time. During their conservation, Alred told the teen that "she was on her way to owning her own store" and that every partner chooses one good person to run a store and that she was that person, the lawsuit says.
During the conversation, the petition says, Alred, whose wife was asleep in another room at the time, began making inappropriate comments about another underage carhop who he found attractive.
The teen said she needed to leave. He took her to her vehicle, then got in and told her to drive away from the apartments and park.
What happened next is described in the Joplin Police Department probable cause statement:
In the east parking lot of 1715 S. Rex Avenue, in Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri, Christopher E. Alred told (the victim) who was (16) at that time to perform oral sex on him. Christopher E. Alred walked her to her vehicle and sat in the passenger seat. (She) was in the driver's seat. (He) removed his penis from his pants and put his hand on the back of (her) head."
After that, he roughly used her until the act was completed.
The lawsuit also alleges that Alred raped another Rangeline Sonic carhop.
Alred is scheduled to go to trial April 24 in Jasper County Circuit Court.
Alred also has a Joplin Police Department warrant for his arrest on an assault charge and a Jasper County warrant for felony driving while intoxicated (the sixth time he has been charged with that crime.
Previous posts
Trial date set for former Sonic supervisor charged with statutory sodomy, Alred remains free on bond
Joplin Police Department issues arrest warrant for former Sonic supervisor charged with my assault
Mediation session set for Rangeline Sonic lawsuit
Sexual harassment lawsuits nothing unusual for Sonic: $2 million settlement reached in New Mexico case
Thirty minutes ago, I was attacked
True, a 16 year old cannot "consent". But if he had forced himself upon her he would be looking at much more serious charges. So the "consent" does matter.
ReplyDeleteWhat a scumbag. I hope his wife was smart enough to leave him. Making advances on a young girl is bad enough, but also in his home while his wife was asleep in the next room?
ReplyDeleteHe deserves someone to kick him where it counts.
I hope he is found guilty and serves time.