Accused Attempted Rapist Held After Second Reported Attack

A New York man accused of two attacks on women in Southern Berkshire this year won't get a chance to try again.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that 34 year old Andrew Gombar, of Chatham, N.Y., was arrested Tuesday and accused of assaulting and trying to kidnap a woman on a trail at Olivia's Overlook off Lenox Road. Authorities say that Gombar is the same person who  allegedly tried to kidnap and rape a 19-year-old woman in January after she left her evening shift at the Lipton Mart on Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington. He was charged then with single counts of assault to rape, threatening rape and assault and battery. He was released in March on $15,000 bail and was awaiting trial in that case.

This Tuesday, a 31-year-old woman told police that she arrived at the overlook parking lot about 2:40 P.M. and noticed Gombar sitting in his truck. She said she had walked about 100 yards before heading back toward her car when she saw the man walking in her direction.

After he passed her on the trail, Gombar grabbed her by the shoulders with both arms and tried to pull her into the woods, she told police. She managed to break away and run to her car, and was able to get most of Gombar's license plate number.

She reported the attack to Lenox police, who immediately put out an alert. But while the woman was still on the scene with investigators, Gombar made the mistake of returning to the scene of the alleged crime. He took off after noticing police and a state trooper tracked him down as he was driving on Route 102 in Stockbridge and placed him under arrest.

Gombar pleaded not guilty in Central Berkshire District Court on Tuesday to single counts of kidnapping and assault and battery. Unlike his first arrest, this time Judge Paul Smyth ordered him held as dangerous for 120 days. A pretrial hearing is set for July 16 in Southern Berkshire District Court.