Blood
Suspect in near-fatal off-campus sex assault makes first court appearance
Sep
A Dane County, Wisconsin, judge ordered Brandon A. Thompson held on $1 million bail Thursday after a brutal attack left a University of Wisconsin-Madison student hospitalized with life-threatening injuries early Sunday morning.
The 26-year-old, whose lack of a prior record was the most “terrifying” and “horrific” aspect of the crime, was charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree reckless injury and strangulation in what authorities allege was a completely random attack without warning.
“The defendant was simply driving down the street and saw the victim, no prior interaction, spontaneously decided to pull his car over…follow her some distance and then attack her,” Dane County Deputy District Attorney William Brown told the judge.
The victim remains hospitalized, in and out of consciousness, with a broken jaw and missing teeth, he added. Thompson allegedly remained at the scene after the attack, “covered in blood” and “pretending to be helping.” The victim remains in critical condition and can barely talk.
MADISON POLICE REVEAL HOW THEY CAUGHT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SEX ASSAULT SUSPECT
Brandon A. Thompson, 26, of Madison, Wisconsin, was arrested Wednesday morning in connection with a brutal sex assault Sunday that nearly killed a University of Wisconsin student. (Dane County Sheriff’s Office)
By the time police arrived, however, he was not there. But Brown alleged that Thompson gave a partial confession, while denying sex assault allegations, and that police matched his DNA to a sample recovered from the victim.
“We live in a community where thousands of young people just moved to our city, thousands of young women just moved to our city,” the prosecutor said.
They should be free to walk around without the threat of random attack, he argued, asking for $2 million bail and condemning a new Wisconsin law that creates roadblocks for holding a suspect without bail.
MADISON COPS ARREST SUSPECT IN UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SEX ASSAULT
Brandon A. Thompson attended his initial hearing remotely from the Dane County Jail, where he is being held in isolation on charges connected to a brutal sex assault that nearly killed a University of Madison-Wisconsin student. (Dane County District Court)
“This man is perhaps our greatest public safety threat that lives in this county right now,” he said, as Thompson shook his head.
Thompson’s defense said that it had already uncovered “inconsistencies” with the allegations against him and asked for a bail of just $10,000 — which the judge rejected outright. Ultimately he settled on the $1 million sum, and Thompson’s head sank.
Thompson attended remotely from the Dane County Jail, where he is being held in isolation from other inmates. He did not speak and gave the judge a thumbs up when asked if he could hear the proceedings OK.
Brown called it “terrifying” that there were no warning signs. Thompson’s only prior record involved a few minor traffic tickets, and he is a college graduate who was gainfully employed up until the attack.
Patrol cars from the University of Wisconsin watch over students in Madison, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. A student suffered life-threatening injuries Sunday morning after an off-campus sex assault, which has led to increased patrols. (Kamil Krzaczynski for Fox News Digital )
“He appeared to fit in so well, a normal person in our community,” Brown said.
Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes said the Fitchburg Police Department stopped Thompson at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday for a registration violation. Fitchburg is about five miles south of Madison.
Thompson had no connection to the victim, according to police.
First responders found her with severe injuries around 3:20 a.m. Sunday and rushed her to the hospital. Authorities said she is expected to survive but did not address her current condition during the news briefing.
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Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
