CU Boulder Student Arrested for January Sexual Assault Incident

BREAKING NEWS: A student at the University of Colorado Boulder has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on campus earlier this year. Rylan Whitworth, 22, faces one charge of sexual assault following an incident that occurred in January 2023.

Authorities report that Whitworth, a current CU Boulder student, connected with the victim on Tinder last fall. They met again at a bar in Boulder, after which they went to the woman’s residence on campus. According to a police affidavit, the situation escalated when the two kissed, but Whitworth then allegedly forced the woman into sexual acts despite her explicit refusals, stating “I don’t want to” as she began to cry.

In a disturbing twist, DNA evidence from the January incident matched Whitworth’s DNA linked to a separate case in Broomfield. In that February 2023 case, another woman reported feeling drugged and uncertain about whether she had been assaulted, though she recalled being touched without remembering the assailant’s identity.

The Broomfield Police Department, after an investigation, concluded that they could not establish whether a crime had occurred and subsequently inactivated that case.

Whitworth has since been released after posting a $100,000 surety bond. He is scheduled for an advisement hearing on December 1, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at the Boulder County Jail.

This unfolding case has raised serious concerns about safety on campus and the broader implications of consent. The CU Boulder community is urged to remain vigilant as police continue their investigation.

Expect further updates as this story develops, highlighting the urgent need for support and resources for survivors of sexual assault.