University Police arrested Martin Straume, an associate professor of research in the University Health System, yesterday afternoon on several criminal charges, including the attempted malicious wounding of a female University graduate student.
According to University Police, the attempted malicious wounding of the graduate student occurred Sept. 13 when Straume allegedly attempted to hit the student with his car near Gilmer Hall.
Straume, 47, also was charged with computer harassment, threatening phone calls, computer invasion of privacy and stalking after the graduate student reported a series of incidents to the police, the release stated.
"There is one victim in all of these [charges]," University Police Sgt. Melissa Fielding.
All of the charges were brought against Straume as a result of an ongoing investigation into the Sept. 13 incident, and the other charges all stemmed from additional reports of incidents by the graduate student, Fielding said.
Fielding said Straume was "cooperative" when he was charged at the University Police Office prior to 2 p.m. yesterday.
According to Fielding, Straume came into the office on his own accord, having been notified that he was being investigated by the University Police for the Sept. 13 incident.
"Part of an investigation is having officers follow up on suspects, and this investigation wasn't any different," she said.
Straume was released yesterday on a $3,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Albemarle General District Court today at 9 a.m., the release stated.
Straume resigned from the University Sept. 21 of this year, University spokesperson Carol Wood said.
The University declined to comment on Straume's arrest because he is still awaiting a verdict from the Albemarle County District Court.
Straume was an associate professor of research in the department of internal research, specifically endocrinology, as well as an associate director of the Center for Biomathematical Technology in the University Health System.
Straume received a Ph.D. from the University, and has worked for the University for 12 years.
Other researchers in the endocrinology department either declined to comment or were unavailable to comment on Straume's arrest.
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