A troubling event involving a University of Evansville (UE) baseball player Willard Peterson has brought baseball player Evansville to the forefront of attention
A 20-year-old sophomore pitcher from Wisconsin named Willard Peterson was placed under arrest after it was claimed that he had s*xually assaulted a female student in a dorm room on campus in November 2023.
Who is Willard Peterson as University of Evansville baseball player is accused of r*ping woman
Peterson faces two allegations of s*xual assault
Peterson, a 2023 recruit for the baseball team the Aces, is accused of two instances of s*xual battery (a Level 6 felony) and r*pe (a Level 3 felony). He was checked into the Vanderburgh County jail on Wednesday after Magistrate Judge Donald R. Vowels determined there was adequate probable cause to issue an arrest warrant, according to 44News.
University of Evansville Baseball player Willard Peterson was arrested and charged with rape on Wednesday. He was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on two charges of rape and one charge of sexual battery (via Seth Austin in @WEHTWTVWlocal)https://t.co/dL1GDVLdcX
— NIL vs NLI (@NILvsNLI) January 10, 2024
The claims have sparked worries within the UE community and prompted the institution to launch an internal inquiry. The victim claims that Willard Peterson, a baseball player at the University of Evansville, brought her to his dorm room.
In an affidavit made available to 44News, EPD Detective Rob Waller described in detail what transpired before Peterson’s apprehension. According to reports, Peterson had consented to drive the victim home after the party. But at one point, he allegedly said he had to collect his car keys and changed the route to his dorm room. In a later police interview, the victim said she had a headache and felt lightheaded, so she collapsed into Peterson’s bed.
The victim’s testimony, which was included in Waller’s arrest affidavit, states that Peterson is accused of starting the assault at that point, according to Courier & Press: “She advised that she was laying on her left side, and Peterson came up behind her.”
The victim continued by saying that she was r*ped by Peterson and that the attack only stopped when her phone rang. Taking advantage of the situation, she allegedly succeeded in pushing Peterson away, took her phone, and ran into a restroom where she made a help call.
For treatment, the sufferer was moved to a hospital in Evansville. During their investigation, detectives spoke with a witness who had correspondence with the victim both before and following the incident. This witness, whose testimony is included in Peterson’s arrest affidavit, corroborated the victim’s story by supplying a text message in which the victim wrote: “I just got r*ped.”
Peterson altered his side of the story several times
Peterson’s interactions with law enforcement are also clarified by Detective Waller’s investigation report. Waller encountered Peterson on November 17 on the campus of the University of Evansville. Waller was accompanied by Kevin Corbin, the university’s director of public safety. According to reports, Peterson consented to an interview with Waller by surrendering his Miranda rights.
Waller claimed that Peterson changed his story several times throughout this interview. At first, Peterson stated that he took part in a “team thing” at a residence close to Memorial High School—a place that Aces baseball players affectionately refer to as “home base.” But as Waller dug further into the purported incident, Peterson was said to have changed his account multiple times. Although Peterson claimed to have left the party by himself, he then admitted to having taken the victim to his Evansville University room, where she spent around twenty minutes.
When asked about the events that transpired in his dorm room, Peterson responded in a complex manner, as Waller’s version of the conversation further disclosed. When asked if the victim was in his room, Peterson allegedly gave a vague response, saying that she “may have been.” Later, when questioned about any improper exchanges between them, Peterson supposedly flatly denied any misconduct.
When Waller probed Peterson further, the story took a different turn. Allegedly contradicting his earlier denial, Peterson admitted to participating in s*xual intercourse with the victim. But the narrative did not end there. According to Peterson’s arrest affidavit, he changed his story again, claiming that the victim was the “instigator” and that they had been “flirty” during the party.
Willard Peterson has been arrested
The University of Evansville (UE) has issued an official statement following the arrest of baseball player Willard Peterson on charges of alleged s*xual assault. Chief Communications Officer Noah Alatza of the University of Evansville delivered a written statement that was credited to Director of Athletics Kenneth Siegfried.
The seriousness of the situation is emphasized in the statement that was provided to the Courier & Press on Wednesday afternoon. According to Siegfried’s statement, the university takes allegations of s*xual misconduct seriously and is cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation,” highlighting the University of Evansville’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of accountability and integrity.
Willard Peterson has been under arrest, and Magistrate Judge Donald R. Vowels mandated that he be kept under a $15,000 cash bond. When Peterson would make his first appearance was not disclosed in open court documents. As of today, he is still listed on the Vanderburgh County jail roster, pending the outcome of court procedures.