Former Yuma cop takes the stand to defend himself in rape trial

A former Yuma police officer charged with raping a 23-year-old woman in San Diego took the stand Tuesday to defend himself.

Jared Elkins, 34, told jurors he believes he had consensual sexual intercourse with his accuser.

“Like leaning into me, closer to me, leaning in almost like cuddling. Almost like snuggling with me,” Elkins said.

Elkins is accused of raping the alleged victim, his ex-wife’s cousin after they and two other family members went to dinner before coming back to the family’s house to have drinks and watch a movie.

“I felt like sexual vibes were going on between us,” said Jared Elkins.

Elkins believes his accuser made the first move.

“Her right breast was now on top of my left hand,” said Elkins.

One thing led to another.

“We were kissing each other on the mouth, on the neck,” Elkins added.

He said he didn’t believe the woman was too intoxicated to continue.

“At any point, that night, Sept. 14 to Sept. 15, did you think [the alleged victim] was too intoxicated to know what she was doing?” asked the defense attorney, Trip Johnston.

“No,” Elkins replied.

Elkins later went into the other room where his wife was and went to sleep. He woke up to San Diego Police Department ordering him to come outside, where he was arrested and booked.

Elkins is charged with nine felony rape charges.

Elkins testimony differs from his accuser’s – she testified last week.

“No, please, no please, Jared, no. No. No. No. I said Jared, your wife’s in the next room,” she told officers in body-worn camera video.

In the morning portion of the trial, both sides of counsel brought in medical experts to discuss the effects of medicine, ones prescribed to the alleged victim, when mixing with alcohol.

Toxicology reports showed two prescribed medications, both Adderall and Clonazepam, were present in her urine sample.

Her blood alcohol level was .092 following the alleged rape.

The defense also brought in two character witnesses.

First, Heather Redden, a former Yuma police officer, took the stand to tell jurors she’d trust Elkins with her life.

Another witness, Michael Stron, a retired senior special agent with U.S. Customs, told jurors he’s known Elkins his entire life and is a “fine, young man” and “honest.”

Elkins resigned from the Yuma Police Department after his arrest. If convicted, he faces up to 14 years in prison.