SPOKANE -- The victim in a Fairchild Air Force Base rape trial took the stand Wednesday in a Spokane courtroom. Court documents say the former survival guide instructor committed the crime on base, but worked as a civilian.
Michael Fassbender, 32, is charged with rape and assault. The victim gave an emotional testimony on the stand while being questioned about the alleged rape.
Fassbender sat quietly in court while his alleged victim recounted details of rape and abuse. Police reports say the pair met at an online dating site and had dinner in Airway Heights last October. Then the victim says the night turned violent.
She says Fassbender took her to a secluded part of Fairchild Air Force Base and locked her in an interrogation room. She says he told her no one would know if she disappeared, no one would know where to look for her, no one would hear her scream.
The victim says she told Fassbender to stop when he took off her clothes. Then he raped her repeatedly. She says he began to hit her, then wrapped his arm around her neck, choked her and she passed out. The victim says she feared for her life.
"All I could think is this is it, I'm not going to see my kids again, this is how I'm going to die," said the victim.
Fassbender was a civilian survival instructor at the base employed by S.E.R.E. Solutions. Police say he was an interrogation expert.
The defense argues that the sex between the pair was consensual, and that they were roll-playing. The trial is expected to stretch on for a few more days. KREM 2 News was told Fassbender will probably take the stand.
