Christopher Haxel

Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING - A University of Michigan football player was arraigned Wednesday on four charges related to a sexual assault that officials say took place in East Lansing in October.

Grant Perry, a sophomore wide receiver from Royal Oak, was arraigned in East Lansing in 54B District Court on one felony count of assaulting, battering, resisting or obstructing an officer, two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and an underage drinking charge.

He is accused of inappropriately touching a female who was waiting in line outside a downtown East Lansing bar at 12:20 a.m. Oct. 15.

His attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

"When (police) arrived on scene, we tried to grab onto him, and we had to chase him," said Lt. Scott Wriggelsworth, a spokesman for the East Lansing Police Department. "In the midst of that fracas, one of our officers suffered a minor hand injury."

Michigan did not have a football game the weekend of the incident. Perry was suspended for the team's game the following week in Ann Arbor, for what head coach Jim Harbaugh then described as "disciplinary reasons."

On Thursday, Michigan Associate Athletic Director Dave Ablauf sent the following statement:

"The University was made aware of the arrest of student-athlete Grant Perry earlier this fall. He was immediately suspended from all team activities at that time and missed two games. Based on the information at that time, Grant was allowed to resume team activities pending the outcome of the investigation. Upon being informed that charges would be filed, he was immediately and indefinitely suspended from all team activities until the legal process is completed."

East Lansing officials in November issued a press release asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact police, although Perry was not identified as a suspect in the release.

Perry, 19, turned himself in Wednesday and was released on a personal recognizance bond, Wriggelsworth said.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan 5, according to court records. He also has a pre-exam conference on Dec. 29, on the felony charge. He faces up to two years in prison.

In the meantime, Perry has been barred from contact with the victim.

Perry was the team's fourth-leading receiver this season, having caught 13 passes in 10 games. The sixth-ranked Wolverines play Florida State Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl.

Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.