Police arrested 23-year-old WSU alumnus Jared Druffel for second-degree rape Tuesday night after a college-aged woman reported that she and Druffel engaged in sexual activity without her consent.

The alleged victim’s roommate reported the incident to the police at 1:41 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Detective Dan Hargraves of the Pullman Police Department said a third party often reports incidents like this to the police because the victim is too embarrassed or still distraught.

Hargraves said the police delayed Druffel's arrest because they were trying to collect information about the crime.

“They had a first name and talked to witnesses (in order to identify the suspect),” Hargraves said.

The incident allegedly occurred at Druffel's residence on NE Whitman Street near the party where he and the woman met, Hargraves said. While Druffel was walking her home, they entered his residence at which point the woman said she did not consent to the sexual activity that ensued. Police believe alcohol was a factor.

In this case, rape in the second degree refers to an incident in which someone engages in sexual intercourse with a person incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless or mentally incapacitated.  

Because the alleged victim is believed to have been intoxicated at the time, she would have been unable to give consent.

The suspect was released from Whitman County Jail on Wednesday.

“They probably looked at his chances of reoffending as … somewhat slim and let him out,” Hargraves said.

As of press time, Druffel has not responded to The Daily Evergreen's messages.