An unidentified University student was allegedly sexually assaulted early Sunday morning just outside of Gerlinger Annex.
According to a University press release, the incident occurred at approximately 12:10 a.m. and came less than an hour after another unidentified student was briefly kidnapped by an individual she described as a brown-haired white male with a light beard and slightly husky build.
This earlier incident took place along East 15th Avenue between Alder and Kincaid streets at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The victim was walking alone when suddenly she was grabbed by the wrist and forced to walk with the assailant. After she attempted to flee, the attacker cut the victim’s wrist with a key. The two then walked to a campus bench where the victim was able to escape.
Later, on Sunday morning, an assailant matching the description of the suspect in the earlier incident attempted to assault a second student near Gerlinger Annex on campus. The victim was forced up against a wall and was reportedly groped before escaping and seeking assistance.
The Department of Public Safety later picked up an individual matching the description given by both victims, who was positively identified by the second victim.
University spokesperson Phil Weiler said the suspect was then handed off to the custody of the Eugene Police Department, where he was placed under arrest, charged with sexual abuse-1, and held in Lane County Adult Corrections in Eugene.
The correction facility’s website lists only one individual as currently being held under charges of sexual abuse 1, 26-year-old Nolan Bryant Heinz of Eugene..
EPD Lt. Pete Deshpande would not officially confirm that there was a suspect being held in direct relation to the Gerlinger incident, but he said that based on the booking information and the charge against the inmate that he likely was the suspect.
“That’s probably the guy,” Deshpande said.
Neither EPD nor Lane County Sheriff’s Office representatives would identify the suspect in custody.
Based on the mug shot released by the Lane County Adult Corrections facility, Heinz’s physical appearance and description make him a likely suspect based on the victims’ reports.
According to his Facebook profile, Heinz is a University alumnus and lives in the Eugene area.
Heinz has an arraignment hearing set for today at 1:30 p.m. An arraignment determines whether there is enough evidence to try a person who is charged with a felony.
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Suspect arrested in sexual assault incident Sunday morning
Daily Emerald
November 21, 2010
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