La Crosse man accused of raping 12 year old

Man hid girl from police, sexually assaulted her after they left

A 17-year-old man from La Crosse is accused of raping a 12-year-old girl.

Joshua Ward, charged Monday, could go to prison for 60 years if he’s found guilty of forcing the girl to have sex at a house on Fifth Ave. in the summer of 2015. 

She had run away from home at the time. Ward hid the girl and told the officers that came by looking for the girl, she wasn’t there.

When the police left, the girl said she and Ward had sex. Police say Ward, who claims he thought the girl was 15, forced her to have sex, even though she said no.

The criminal complaint says the girl didn’t tell her mother about the sexual assault at the time, because she thought her mom would “freak out.”

The girl believes Ward had been using cocaine or other drugs that day.

Bond has been set at $10,000 for Ward, who was charged with first-degree sexual assault.