He forced his way into a Columbia-area apartment and raped a woman, officials say

A man has been charged with forcing his way into a St. Andrews apartment and raping a woman, then breaking into the restaurant where he was employed and stealing money, according to authorities.

Niat Gebrekristos, 24, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping and two counts of burglary, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. He remains in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

Gebrekristos is accused in a sex assault that happened Aug. 11 at an apartment on Beatty Road in the St. Andrews area, the sheriff’s department said in a release Wednesday. That’s just off Broad River Road near St. Andrews Park.

Investigators say Gebrekristos knocked on the victim’s door, then forced his way into the apartment, where he sexually assaulted her.

Gebrekristos did not know the victim and was identified by DNA at the scene, the release said. The victim was treated at a local hospital.

While authorities tried to locate Gebrekristos, he broke into Nick’s Gyros and Phillys on the 1900 block of Broad River Road on Aug. 18, officials said. He took a cash drawer and an unknown amount of money from the business.

Investigators later discovered Gebrekristos was employed at the restaurant and threw a cement block through the window to gain access.