COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina women's basketball star has been arrested and charged following an alleged assault that happened on Saturday morning.
According to warrants filed by USC Police in the arrest of Ashlyn Watkins, the incident occurred at 650 Lincoln Street, a student housing center at the University of South Carolina. There, warrants state that Watkins assaulted the victim by "forcefully grabbing her face, pulling her by her arms, and pushing her."
The warrant states that Watkins also picked up the victim against her will and carried her. It goes on to say that Watkins "grabbed the victim's head and forced her to walk down the hall, thus controlling her movement while preventing her from leaving." The latter allegation led to an additional charge of kidnapping.
The warrant states that the victim eventually got away and pulled a fire alarm, which led to the arrival of police and fire personnel. She was treated for injuries the warrant described as not life-threatening. Both warrants state officers read Watkins her rights, and she confessed -- though the warrants don't reveal what she said. They also state that the incident was captured on video surveillance cameras.
News19 was in court for her bond hearing Saturday afternoon. No cameras were allowed, during the proceeding, but prosecutors said both Watkins and the victim--who was referred to as a minor--knew each other.
Watkins' attorney, Todd Rutherford, told News19 Saturday night that he and his client are asking for the public's patience.
“We believe once everybody has a full grasp of what happened, this will end up being a misunderstanding," Rutherford said. "What we know for certain is that Ashlyn did not assault anyone and she did not kidnap anyone."
Jail records, which still showed Watkins as detained around 3 p.m., indicated that Watkins was granted a $30,000 personal recognizance bond. She was charged with kidnapping and first-degree assault and battery. Officials confirmed she had been released around 3:30 p.m. and was no longer listed in public jail records.
Watkins is a junior on the women's team and was a leading contributor during their most recent national championship run. She is a Columbia native and graduated from Cardinal Newman High School.
News19 contacted the University of South Carolina Athletics Department for comment. A spokesperson said they are aware of the situation and continue gathering more information."
Watkins' next court appearance will take place October 25, which is 17 days before the women's basketball team starts their season against Michigan on November 11th.