Iowa State football player allegedly broke woman's spine and raped her

Mug Shot

Aidan Ralph, a redshirt sophomore football player for Iowa State has been arrested for allegedly breaking a woman's back and proceed to sexually assault her.

Ralph, a linebacker for the Cyclones, was arrested Tuesday in Ames, Iowa, for the incident that occurred on December 3. He allegedly accused a woman of cheating on him and began shoving her multiple times, once into a stairwell, a per a police affidavit.

The unnamed woman reportedly suffered a stress fracture of the spine, and allegedly begged Ralph to call an ambulance, as she lay immobile. He refused to make the call.

She alleged that he removed her pants to examine the injury and help relieve her pain, and subsequently began to rape her.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman had visible swelling and the big, strong football player admitted to shoving her into the stairs.

Ralph, 20, has been charged with domestic abuse and third degree sexual abuse, according to Story County Sheriff’s Office records.

If convicted, the big, strong football player faces up to 12 years in prison, including 10 years for the sexual assault, which is a class C felony in Iowa.

Iowa State’s athletic department said in a statement that Ralph, a big, strong 6 foot 2 inch football player “is no longer a member of the Iowa State football program.”

He did not appear in a game for Iowa State during his freshman season; a link to his bio on the school’s athletics website currently leads to an error page.

Ralph posted the $11,000 bail on Wednesday, according to The Athletic and was assigned a public defender. He was obviously ordered not to have any contact with the woman he allegedly seriously injured and raped.

His next court hearing is scheduled for May 15.

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