UW–Madison Police Department

UWPD Investigating Sexual Assault

  • Incident date: April 18, 2015, 12:00 am
  • Incident type: Sexual Assault
  • Location/address: Southeast Residence Hall

4/24/2015 Update: The UW-Madison Police Department has arrested a student, following an investigation into a sexual assault which occurred last weekend.

Early last Saturday morning, a UW-Madison student reported to UWPD that she was sexually assaulted in a southeast residence hall. The Crime Warning below was issued within hours of the report.

As a result of UWPD’s investigation, Nicholas H. Ralston, 19, of Neenah, was arrested on Friday, April 24 on tentative charges of 3rd Degree Sexual Assault. He was booked into the Dane County Jail.

On Saturday morning, April 18, 2015, a student reported a sexual assault to the UW-Madison Police Department.

The assault was reported to have occurred earlier this morning at approximately 3:00 a.m. inside a room in a southeast residence hall. The alleged offender and the victim know each other.

The assault is currently under investigation by the UW-Madison Police Department.

Sexual assault is never the fault of the victim. While nothing is failsafe, here are some suggestions everyone may want to consider:

  • Make sure you have consent. Consent is a clear and freely given yes, not the absence of a no.
  • People who are incapacitated by alcohol or drugs cannot give consent.
  • Trust your instincts. If you feel uneasy or sense something is wrong, call for assistance.
  • Be active in supporting a safe and respectful community. If you see others engaging in disrespectful or inappropriate actions, speak up and get involved, or contact someone else to assist.

If you’ve been sexually assaulted, tell someone – there are resources available to help you. Please visit uwpd.wisc.edu/tellus and www.uhs.wisc.edu/evoc for more information.