An affidavit of probable cause obtained Wednesday details the events that led to a Penn State tight end’s indefinite suspension after he was charged with assaulting a 24-year-old woman.
State College police on March 8 charged redshirt senior Brent Wilkerson, 21, of Clinton, Md., with second-degree misdemeanor indecent assault and summary offense harassment after an incident last month. The university announced his suspension Tuesday, and his preliminary hearing scheduled for April 6.
According to the affidavit, Mr. Wilkerson went drinking the night of Feb. 12 with a group of friends, including a 24-year-old female, at several State College bars. The woman, who was sober and had been friends with Mr. Wilkerson for a year, drove Mr. Wilkerson and his roommate home after the bars closed at 2 a.m. While the roommate went home, Mr. Wilkerson, who admitted being drunk, insisted on accompanying the woman to her apartment, according to the affidavit.
Despite the woman saying repeatedly she was “fine,” and Mr. Wilkerson could go home, Mr. Wilkerson fell asleep on the woman's bed and would not wake up. The woman fell asleep next to him.
Later in the night, the woman woke to Mr. Wilkerson pulling her toward him, according to the affidavit. She told him, “What are you doing? Stop!” and Wilkerson quieted her and said, “I know, I know.”
The situation escalated when Mr. Wilkerson groped and kissed her before exposing himself and masturbating, according to the affidavit, though intercourse did not occur. The woman was left with bruises on both sides of her neck, the affidavit said.
Mr. Wilkerson corroborated most of the woman’s claims when he met with police, according to the affidavit.
After seeing photos of the woman's bruises, which Mr. Wilkerson said were from kissing, not holding her down, Wilkerson said, “I know what I did was wrong. After a couple, ‘Nos,’ I should have left after the first ‘No.’ ”
Mr. Wilkerson played in 13 games with nine starts last season.
First Published: March 16, 2016, 9:06 p.m.
