UCLA football player arrested on suspicion of rape

LOS ANGELES — A football player at the University of California, Los Angeles has been arrested on suspicion of raping a female student after an off-campus party last year, police said on Friday, and he was quickly suspended from the team.

Adam Searl, a 20-year-old walk-on punter from Irvine, California, was taken into custody on campus on Thursday, said Officer Jack Richter, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Detectives were expected to present their case against Searl to Los Angeles prosecutors early next week, seeking three felony counts of rape, he said.

Richter said the victim, a UCLA student, reported the rape on Oct. 19, 2014, the day after the off-campus house party that she and Searl both attended.

"After the party she went to a nearby residence where she fell asleep," he said. "She woke up and was being assaulted. She didn't know who he was, what his name was, but the UCLApolice was able to track him down."

Searl was being held in lieu of $300,000 bail, Richter said.

"We have been informed of the situation involving Adam Searl, and we take these accusations very seriously," UCLA head football coach Jim Mora said in a statement.

"Adam has been suspended from the team indefinitely while the legal process runs its course. Due to the ongoing police investigation, we are unable to discuss this matter further at this time," Mora said.

Searl, a sophomore back-up, made his season debut in last Saturday’s 38-23 loss to Arizona State, punting five times for a 39.0-yard average. Last season, he punted 11 times, averaging 39.1 yards.