BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — An Indiana University student was arrested Sunday night after police found him on top of a female student yelling for help.
Police were initially called to the dorm around 10:30 p.m. on a report of a man overdosing on an unknown drug.
The woman, who is a resident assistant, said someone sent her a message about a person screaming in one of the rooms. When nobody answered, the woman used her master key to get in the room.
The woman told police she found 20-year-old Kalp Patel sitting in a chair at his desk. When she went over to check on him, she said Patel jumped up, threw her to the ground and started strangling her.
According to the woman, Patel tried to rip her clothes off and started touching her inappropriately while she was trying to fight him off.
The woman was able to call 911 again and said Patel was sexually assaulting her.
After several minutes, police arrived and got Patel off of the woman.
"I think our officers responded in a very quick manner and did an excellent job of resolving that situation. If we didn't know about this, or we didn't respond, you know, it could have been a lot worse," Chief Jill Lees, IU Police Department.
The victim said she previously met Patel when he was moving in to the dorm at the beginning of the year but did not have any sort of personal relationship with him.
"Sometimes you just don't know what's behind a closed door. You just don't know what someone has, you know, what kind of medical or mental crisis they might be in. And, you know, this is why it's so important to always contact IUPD to help respond to those situations," Lees said.
Patel was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital for evaluation but was then transported to the Monroe County Correctional Facility.
He initially told police he didn't drink any alcohol or take any drugs that night. Then, Patel said he took two Delta 8 gummy bears, which allegedly caused everything to appear as a dream and enter an altered state of mind.
Patel told police he remembered seeing a woman in his dream and that he "fell on top of her." He said he wanted to "have fun" with her, which he referred to as sex. Patel said the woman was trying to get away, but he kept holding her down.
Patel faces the following charges:
- Attempted rape — Level 3 felony
- Criminal confinement — Level 6 felony
- Strangulation — Level 6 felony
- Resisting law enforcement — Class A misdemeanor
- Battery complaint of pain — Class A misdemeanor
- Illegal possession of alcohol — Class C misdemeanor
Patel has posted bail, but is banned from the IU campus. His initial hearing is Friday.
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