Police: Man inappropriately touched woman

SANDUSKY — Police charged a Sandusky man with a felony sex offense Tuesday after he allegedly inappropriately touched a woman at a McKinley Street residence.Michael Van Barg, 43, of the 1400 block of McKinley St., was charged with gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony, and misdemeanor resisting arrest.Police were called to the McKinley Street home at about 7:30 p.m. after the woman reported being touched inappropriately, according to a Sandusky police report.Officers spoke with the woman at the home. She told officers Van Barg fondled her while she slept in an upstairs bedroom, the report states.The woman indicated to officers Van Barg touched her breasts over her shirt, according to the report.Van Barg told an officer he did not assault the woman and was not upstairs when the assault allegedly occurred, the report states. Another person in the home also said Van Barg was downstairs at the time.Van Barg later admitted to an officer he went upstairs into the woman's bedroom to wake her up and he accidentally touched the woman's chest, the report states.Based on the statements the woman made, and because Van Barg changed his story, police decided to arrest him, according to the report. When an officer tried to cuff him, he allegedly pulled his arms away and police needed to use "reasonable force" to put him in handcuffs.The other person in the home later told officers Van Barg had lied, and that he was upstairs for fifteen minutes when the assault allegedly occurred, the report states.Van Barg is held in the Erie County jail on a $5,000 bond.More Sandusky police articlesReach reporter Brandon Addeo at brandonaddeo@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @BrandonAddeo and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterMICHAEL S VANBARG