Berkeley student charged in campus sexual assault

Andrew Han Chang — a 21-year-old student at the University of California at Berkeley and a West Windsor resident — was charged with sexually assaulting a woman who was on campus visiting her cousin, Borough Police Capt. Charles Davall said yesterday.

The alleged incident, which police believe occurred Jan. 1, was the second reported sexual assault on the Princeton campus in less than two months.

The victim's cousin is a student enrolled at the University.

Both Chang and the victim — a 21-year-old woman who is not from Princeton and not enrolled at the University — were visiting the student for the New Year holiday, according to authorities.

Davall and Public Safety Crime Prevention Specialist Barry Weiser said authorities believe the victim and the suspect had consumed alcohol that evening while attending a party on Prospect Avenue.

According to Borough Police Lt. Anthony Federico, the victim told police that while she was sleeping after returning to her cousin's room in Spelman Hall, Chang "began touching and grabbing her body."

"Chang stopped when the woman woke up and resisted him and pushed him," Federico said.

The victim reported the incident at about 8 p.m. the following night, Federico said.

Chang was arrested by West Windsor police Thursday following a police investigation. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

While being questioned by authorities, "[Chang] made admissions of sexual assault," according to Davall.

Police charged Chang with two counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of sexual assault, Davall said.

Weiser said sexual assault charges are typically filed in incidents involving penetration.

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Davall would not comment on the likely penalties Chang could face if he is found guilty, but he said fines and jail time were possible in cases of this type.

Chang was released on bail the day of his arrest, according to Mercer County Prosecutor spokeswoman Casey DeBlasio.

"The bail was posted at $5,000 cash under the condition that Chang have no contact with the victim and that the victim be informed of his release," she said.

Weiser said he was concerned about the two recent alleged sexual assault incidents on campus. A University student was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault following an alleged incident in November.

"We went an entire year in 1998 without any sexual assaults, only one in 1999, then toward the end of 2000 we have two in less than two months," Weiser said.

"I'm extremely concerned," he added. "But the only light at the end of the tunnel is that this will wake everyone up to their vulnerabilities, especially where alcohol is involved, since we've just had two examples of the worst-case scenario."