Rape suspect released after lack of evidence

Laura Garnick

An 18-year-old man arrested by campus police in mid-December for allegedly raping a student in her dorm room was released from Sacramento County Jail for lack of evidence.

The victim, whose name was not released by the campus police, reported to CSUS police that Chase Andrew Wathen climbed into bed with her when she was sleeping and Wathen told her that he was her boyfriend in the dark, said Sacramento State Police Public Information Officer John Hamirck.

The act was interrupted when the victim’s friends entered the room, and the victim realized she was not having sex with her boyfriend, Hamrick said.

The victim demanded Wathen’s arrest and said “he acted without her consent,” Hamrick said.