Student Accused in UNC Sexual Assault Turns Himself In to Authorities
— -- A student accused of rape by a female student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill turned himself in to authorities today, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Allen Artis was served with misdemeanor warrants for sexual battery and assault on a female. He was released on a $5,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon.
On Tuesday, sophomore Delaney Robinson appeared in a news conference with her father and attorney, saying that she'd been treated "like a suspect" during the investigation into the alleged sexual assault, which she said occurred on Valentine's Day.
ABC News could not immediately reach Artis or his lawyer, Sam Coleman, for comment.
Robinson said that after she was allegedly raped, she immediately went to the hospital to report the alleged crime and had a rape kit taken.
At the hospital, she said she was asked "humiliating and accusatory questions" by investigators, such as what she was wearing, what and how much she drank, and how much she ate that day.
Investigators also delved into her sexual history, she said, asking whether she "led him on" and if she "had hooked up with him before."
At the news conference Tuesday, her attorney, Denise Branch, described what she called the "delay" on holding the alleged attacker accountable.
"At every turn we have been met with discouragement and delay," Branch said.
In the absence of criminal charges, Robinson filed two self-sworn civil warrants against her alleged attacker for misdemeanor assault on a female and misdemeanor sexual battery, Branch said, which a magistrate issued.
In North Carolina, citizens can ask a judicial magistrate to issue a warrant against another person for an alleged crime. The magistrate makes a determination based on probable cause and is able to issue only misdemeanor warrants in those cases.
"She decided to take this extraordinary step to hold her attacker accountable for his actions," Branch said of her client. "She wants to do all that she can so this student, this man, does not have the opportunity to rape another student."
Artis, who played football for the university during the 2015 season, according to the UNC website, was immediately suspended from the team after he was charged with misdemeanor sexual assault, per university policy, said Kevin Best, assistant athletic director of communications at UNC. Artis can only be reinstated if the athletic director, head coach and university officials agree it is appropriate.
Though the investigation is ongoing, District Attorney Jim Woodall told ABC News no criminal charges had been filed by the Orange County and Chatham County District Attorney's Office against Artis.
Robinson said she "did everything a rape victim is supposed to do," by reporting it, having a rape kit taken, giving a statement and cooperating with law enforcement and the university's Title IX office.
"But six months later, the university has done nothing," she said, adding that she was "taking this public stand" for "the other students on campus who are not protected, despite what the university tells us."
In a statement, UNC-Chapel Hill said it was aware of the allegations made by Robinson and Branch but that it is prohibited from responding to the allegations due to federal privacy law.
ABC News' Julia Jacobo contributed to this story.
