Student response spurs arrest

The IU Police Department arrested an assault suspect hours after the incident, thanks to the work of two students who witnessed it, chased down the assailant and wrote down his license plate number.\n"The couple of witnesses that interceded were instrumental in getting this individual arrested," IUPD Sergeant Don Schmuhl said. "Our thanks to them for that."\nSchmuhl said a man attacked a female student returning to her room in Teter Quad early Tuesday morning. He said the student parked her car on Seventh Street and was walking across the south courtyard when she heard footsteps behind her.\nA man then grabbed the student and wrestled her to the ground as she punched, kicked, screamed and pushed the attacker off her, Schmuhl said. That drew the attention of two witnesses. One then chased the assailant to his car and wrote down his license plate number, Schmuhl said.\nSchmuhl said the student reported no incidents at the scene. \nWith that, police arrested Michael L. Hollett, 26, resident of Helmsburg, Ind., Tuesday afternoon, charging him with a class D felony-battery and filing a probable cause affidavit for an additional charge of confinement. \nSchmuhl said the public can often help the police solve crimes they otherwise couldn't. \n"When circumstances call for it, the public a lot of times reacts in ways to assist the victim or to assist us with a particular incident and we certainly appreciate any assistance from the general public on any incident like that," he said. "A lot of times, they may very well have a piece of information that results in apprehending the subject. Without the general public on cases like that, we may not sometimes be able to make an arrest." \nHollett was still being held Thursday at Monroe County Jail on a $2,000 surety bond, plus $500 cash.\n-- Contact staff writer Gavin Lesnick at glesnick@indiana.edu.