MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. -- For the second time in a year, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is being accused of sexual misconduct, with a police investigating him Saturday for an alleged assault at a nightclub in a Georgia college town.
Police in Milledgeville were examining the claim of a 20-year-old student, who told an officer that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her early Friday.
The case comes as Roethlisberger faces a lawsuit filed in July by a woman who says he raped her in 2008 at a Lake Tahoe hotel and casino, an allegation he strongly denies. Roethlisberger, who was not in custody, has not been criminally charged in either case and has claimed counter-damages in the lawsuit.
Still, to hear it on the airwaves in Pittsburgh, this latest situation seems to have shaken fans of the star quarterback, a man who has never hidden the fact he enjoys the nightlife. He has been spotted gambling in Las Vegas and is sometimes seen in public with small groups of friends and bodyguards.
The public largely supported him when he was accused of sexual assault in Nevada. But radio shows in Pittsburgh have been flooded with calls since Friday's allegation -- few of them sympathetic, with many wondering if the new case indicates a troubling pattern of behavior.
The latest accusation came in downtown Milledgeville, about 85 miles southeast of Atlanta and about 30 miles south of the lake home the player owns. Roethlisberger was seen at Capital City, a popular nightclub for students at Georgia College & State University.
Amber Hanley, a 21-year-old college student, said she and a few friends were also in the VIP area with Roethlisberger. She said she asked the quarterback to take a photo with her friend, whose boyfriend was a fan, but he seemed disappointed that's all she wanted. Hanley said she rolled her eyes, and Roethlisberger called her an expletive and walked away. Later, Roethlisberger was aggressively hitting on another girl, Hanley said.
Deputy Police Chief Richard Malone said Roethlisberger had been with three other people who were mingling with another group that included the alleged victim.
While Roethlisberger has a reputation for patiently signing autographs and posing for pictures while out in public, he also is known for occasionally inelegant behavior in Pittsburgh. Early in his career, he was photographed wearing a T-shirt reading "Drink Like a Champion." Restaurant owners in Pittsburgh have complained he has tried to skip out on bills, arguing he brought business to the establishment.
(From the Milledgeville Union-Recorder)
