Creighton point guard Maurice Watson turned himself in to law enforcement today after a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of suspicion of first-degree sexual assault.
The investigation began earlier this month, when a female Creighton student told police that Watson sexually assaulted her on Feb. 4 in the bathroom of a residence, the Omaha World-Herald reported, citing a source who spoke on condition of anonymity. The report described the 19-year-old woman as an acquaintance of Watson’s. Creighton announced on Wednesday that Watson had been suspended from the team, a day before the warrant for his arrest was issued. On Sunday, Omaha police said they were concerned because Watson still had not turned himself in.
“Until he is located and arrested by law enforcement, or turns himself in, the entire Douglas County Court system is operating off of Mr. Watson’s time frame,” the police department’s statement said.
Shortly after the statement was released, Watson’s attorney told local media that he would be turning himself in as soon as possible. Watson had been in Philadelphia, recovering from knee surgery to repair a torn ACL that has kept him off the basketball court since last month. His lawyer, Mallory Hughes, added that Watson had been slowed in his return to Nebraska by snow on his drive back to Omaha. He was booked into the Douglas County jail at 4 p.m. Central Standard Time, according to online jail records.