A UC Davis sophomore, Pierce Hunter, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
Hunter, an undeclared physical sciences major and member of the swim team, was taken into custody on April 22 on attempted rape and forced oral copulation, said Capt. Joyce Souza of the UC Davis Police Department in an interview with the Pleasanton Weekly News.
“This was a delayed reporting,” Souza said in the article. “However, the [alleged] victim involved in that had been exposed to some escalated aggressive behavior. There were some threats made, so out of fear, the [alleged] victim came forward.”
Souza also said that Hunter and the alleged victim had known each other and the first incident happened in a campus residence hall.
On Friday, Sgt. Paul Henoch of the UC Davis Police Department confirmed that this is the current situation pending an ongoing investigation.
Annette Spicuzza, chief of the UC Davis Police Department, said it is not unusual for victims to report well after the suspected incident.
“You’d be surprised how many young people or individuals that are victims don’t report at all,” Spicuzza said. “Let alone take some time to work through it and feel safe enough to make the report. I would not deem this to be odd in any way.”
Hunter was released from the Yolo County Jail after posting a $150,000 bond. He was arraigned in Yolo County Superior Court last Monday and was in court last Wednesday, said Andy Fell of the UC Davis News Service.
His next court appearance is set for May 27.
The Campus Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) declined to comment but told the Aggie that victims of sexual assault can speak confidentially to a victim advocate from the CVPP at 754-6387.
They can also receive information about education and outreach around sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking by calling 752-3299.
LESLIE TSAN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
