Man arrested for alleged rape and kidnapping in Ketchum
By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer
An Everett, Wash., man living in Bellevue has been arrested on felony
rape and kidnapping charges in connection with a series of incidents that allegedly
occurred in Ketchum early Friday morning.
According to Ketchum Police Chief Cal Nevland, Todd D. Nichols, 27, was
taken into custody shortly after 1 p.m. Friday at The Meadows cabins south of Ketchum.
Nichols was reported incarcerated at the Blaine County Jail early this week on a $500,000
bond.
Nevland said a bruised, 19-year-old woman reported the alleged crimes
to the Ketchum Police Department at about 8 a.m. Friday.
He said the woman, a student at the University of Idaho, told police
she and Nichols had been overnight guests at an apartment on Leadville Avenue on Thursday
night. He said she reported that Nichols attacked her at about 4 a.m., raped her and then
forced her to accompany him to his vehicle and to perform oral sex on him. She told police
that Nichols then drove her to a cabin at The Meadows where he raped her again, Nevland
said.
Nevland said the woman was clearly the victim of "a fairly violent
attack."
"She had lots of bruises and reported that she was choked to the
point of passing out numerous times," he said.
Nevland said two other people were sleeping in the apartment at the
time of the alleged attack, but apparently did not hear anything.
Nevland said the woman reported that Nichols allowed her to leave after
the alleged rape at The Meadows cabin. He said Nichols lived in Bellevue, but apparently
had permission to use the cabin.
Nevland said Nichols made no effort to flee the cabin before police
arrived, and was arrested by officers from the Ketchum Police Department and the Blaine
County Sheriff’s Office. He said Nichols has been charged with three counts of rape
and one count of kidnapping.
According to Nevland, Nichols has a history of convictions for violent
crimes.
