Todd Barnes

tbarnes@tennessean.com

Metro police arrested a man Friday accused of assaulting a Vanderbilt University professor.

Acting on a tip, police arrived at a Hermitage home where Allen Charles Bingham, 21, was believed to be. Police said as they knocked on the door, Bingham fled out a rear window and retreated into neighboring woods. After a brief chase, police took custody of him.

According to a news release, Bingham is alleged to have struck a female professor in the face with his fist after she tried detaining him after discovering him in her office. Bingham then fled with an accomplice and assaulted another Vanderbilt employee, police said.

Police recovered a black backpack on a stairwell containing the professor’s laptop computer.

Bingham faces assault, felony theft, burglary and aggravated trespassing charges and was warned about trespassing on Vanderiblt property in December 2012.

Detectives are continuing efforts to identify Bingham’s accomplice.

In June, Murfreesboro police arrested Bingham on theft, vandalism and drug possession charges after he was accused of crashing a stolen vehicle into a home.