A 31-year-old man broke into an apartment on the 400 block of 15th Street Friday night.
At 9 p.m., a female University student reported a man upstairs in her home. As she telephoned the police from a neighbor's home, the male fled her home on foot.
"He was upstairs near her bedroom or bathroom," Charlottesville Police Sgt. Gary Dillon said.
Police arrested Jason Hewitt, a resident of Nelson County, and charged him with burglary. The witness described him as a white male with blonde hair and a medium build. If convicted of burglary, Hewitt could receive up to 20 years in prison.
According to the woman who was present in the home at the time of the burglary, Hewitt took his shoes off and left them on the back porch. He then proceeded to take his clothing off and attempted to join her in the shower.
"I heard someone walking around upstairs, but I assumed it was one of my roommates," she said. "The person walked into my bathroom and I looked out of the shower expecting to see one of my roommates, but there was a naked man standing in my bathroom."
The student fled the scene and searched for her roommates before leaving the house and running for help from her neighbors.
"I jumped out of the shower and ran out of the bathroom in my towel," she said.
By 9:09 p.m., the alleged perpetrator was caught on Gordon Avenue.
Nothing was taken from the home. Hewitt was slightly intoxicated when apprehended. The police have not released any motive for Hewitt's actions.
The police do not, however, attribute Hewitt's actions to intoxication. They say he was comprehensive of his actions.
"He was not intoxicated to the point where he could not understand what was going on," Dillon said.
The victim's door was not locked, making it possible for the burglar to enter the home stealthily.
"He entered through the door, which was unlocked," Dillon said.
Currently, Hewitt is in custody at the Albermarle Charlottesville Regional jail, awaiting a bond trial in the morning.
Students living on 15th street say they do not feel as safe as before the burglary.
"I don't feel like hearing that," third-year Nursing student Kelly Davison said. "It makes me uncomfortable and less secure. I felt pretty safe and now I feel less secure."
Hewitt was unarmed at the time of capture.
The student and her roommates say they will take more safety precautions in the future. They also want fellow students to realize that crime is not particular to anyone.
"Who thinks to lock your door when you are home?" she said.
"You just don't realize that it can happen to you," said one of the victim's roommates.
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