news-record.com

HIGH POINT — A registered sex offender has been charged with beating and trying to rape a woman early Sunday in High Point.

The victim, a 36-year-old woman, told police she was walking home from a party and was being escorted by a man she had just met. As the two neared the city's parks and recreation maintenance facility at 1301 Brentwood St., the man started beating the woman and threatening to kill her, according to a news release.

During the assault, a parks and recreation employee drove up and interrupted the attack. The employee found the victim and called for help about 5 a.m.

Police later arrested Gary Sylvester Melton, 46, and charged him with first-degree kidnapping, assault by strangulation, attempted first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree sexual offense and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury. He was held in the Guilford County Jail in High Point on more than $1 million bond.

Melton is a registered sex offender in North Carolina. He was convicted in 2000 of second-degree rape in Guilford County. He was released from prison in March of this year and registered as a sex offender with the state in April.