Athens Police, following an eyewitness’ account of the alleged rape on Court Street this weekend, confirmed they are investigating the possibilty the Ohio University student who said she was raped went home later that night with the man who allegedly raped her.
Vance Blanc, an OU freshman studying business and an eyewitness to the incident, told The Post he saw the two enter the same apartment building.
Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle said the department is aware of the information and that the investigation is still ongoing.
Five days after the event took place in front of Chase Bank, 2 S. Court St., police have not arrested anyone. Pyle has previously said the man accused of rape, who was identified by the victim as a stranger on the initial police report, is fully cooperative with the investigation.
The department is also investigating another claim by Blanc: that two other men beat the alleged rapist.
Pyle wouldn’t confirm whether he knew of any injuries the man may have sustained.
“Personally, I’m not aware,” Pyle said. “We’re looking into everything.”
After remaining silent on the issue through days of international media attention, OU President Roderick McDavis issued a statement on the alleged rape Thursday afternoon.
“Ohio University strongly condemns the alleged behaviors, which are counter to the values of character, community and civility, upon which we were founded,” McDavis said in an email that was sent to all OU email accounts.
McDavis said the university’s internal investigation of the incident is being conducted in accordance with university policy and in a way that is supportive of the investigation being carried out by APD.
“When we conclude our investigation, we will take appropriate action to hold those involved accountable, in keeping with Ohio University’s policies and Code of Conduct,” he said. “Additionally, we are using all appropriate resources to provide support to the student who has reported the alleged incident.”
Although the case involves at least one OU student, Pyle said APD doesn’t plan to transfer any information to OU that wasn’t already public record.
“It is a necessity to not prejudice the investigation or the outcome,” Pyle said. “And so Ohio University would not be privileged to any information that was not available to the regular public.”
He added that this is true of any sexual assault case.
“Once the criminal case is at the point of completion, we may work out some release with the prosecutor’s office of pertinent information.”
With consent being a major factor in the case, Pyle said the department is using statements from witnesses and those involved, as well as video evidence, to prove whether consent was and could have been given.
as299810@ohiou.edu
@akarl_smith
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Athens Police confirmed the student and the man accused of raping her went home together after the alleged rape. Police only confirmed they knew it was a possibility.
