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Matt Araiza, the Buffalo Payments punter who got here to prominence in faculty soccer because the “Punt God” final season, has been accused of taking part in a gang rape of a 17-year-old woman in a civil lawsuit, in line with the Los Angeles Occasions.
The lawsuit alleges that Araiza, then an All-American at San Diego State, had intercourse with the minor outdoors his off-campus home whereas she was intoxicated at a celebration in October, then introduced her inside to a room the place she was repeatedly raped by a number of males.
That group allegedly included two of Araiza’s Aztecs teammates, Zavier Leonard and Nowlin “Pa’a” Ewaliko. Leonard remains to be listed on the San Diego State roster, whereas Ewaliko isn’t.
There may be reportedly an ongoing prison investigation into the incident, in addition to a Title IX investigation at San Diego State. No arrests have been made, however San Diego detectives have reportedly submitted their investigation to the San Diego County district legal professional’s workplace, which can resolve whether or not or to not submit expenses.
Araiza’s lawyer Kerry Armstrong instructed the Occasions he hadn’t reviewed the lawsuit, however known as the rape allegation false and claimed to have witnesses from the occasion who contradict {the teenager}’s model of occasions. Attorneys for the opposite two gamers declined remark.
The Payments launched an announcement quickly after the allegations have been reported, claiming to have already investigated the matter and declining additional remark:
“We have been not too long ago made conscious of a civil criticism involving Matt from October 2021.
Because of the critical nature of the criticism, we carried out an intensive examination of this matter. As that is an ongoing civil case authorized, we could have no different remark at this level.”
Particulars of Matt Araiza allegations are ugly
Within the lawsuit as reported by the Occasions, the accuser, who’s now 18, claims to have arrived on the occasion on Oct. 16 after ingesting with buddies. She alleges Araiza gave her a drink she believed to include intoxicating substances apart from alcohol, then took her outdoors and instructed her to carry out oral intercourse regardless of being instructed she was a highschool pupil.
Araiza allegedly had intercourse with the woman, then took her to a bed room the place Leonard, Ewaliko and no less than one different man have been ready. She claims she was thrown on the mattress face first then raped for an hour and a half. As soon as the occasion was shut down, she claimed to emerge from the room crying along with her nostril, bellybutton and ear piercings pulled out and bleeding from her vagina.
The accuser stated she instructed buddies she had been raped, then went to the police a day later and underwent a rape examination, the outcomes of which haven’t been disclosed.
On the request of police, the accuser known as the lads named in her lawsuit whereas being recorded by detectives. The lawsuits says Araiza confirmed they’d intercourse, then beneficial she get examined for a sexually transmitted illness. When he was requested “And did we’ve precise intercourse?” the accuser claims Araiza modified his tone and claimed to not keep in mind something from the night time.
San Diego State allegedly waited to analyze Matt Araiza allegations
Whereas it has been 10 months because the alleged rape, data of the incident was reportedly commonplace at San Diego State inside days.
It was reported by the Occasions two months in the past that San Diego State officers opted to not inform the campus of the alleged gang rape and waited greater than seven months to open the Title IX investigation.
Araiza’s identify reportedly surfaced in no less than one nameless report made by student-athletes quickly after the occasion. One athlete reportedly questioned why no investigation had begun and accused officers of hiding the allegations as a result of success of the soccer group, which completed the season 12-2 and ranked 25th within the AP Ballot.
From the Occasions:
“99% of the soccer gamers are conscious of the 5-person rape so the remainder of the student-athletes are left questioning why nothing is being finished,” the coed stated.
San Diego State reportedly defended its determination by saying police had requested the college to not take any motion that may compromise the prison investigation. The accuser was not comfortable with the excuse.
Payments not too long ago made Matt Araiza their beginning punter
The allegations are a darkish flip for what had up to now been a buzzy skilled profession for Araiza, who received the 2021 Ray Man Award for faculty soccer’s prime punter after averaging an NCAA-record 51.2 yards per punt. The San Diego native commonly went viral with discipline position-reversing punts, garnering the “Punt God” moniker within the course of.
Araiza appeared positioned to be the primary punter chosen within the 2022 NFL draft, however Penn State’s Jordan Stout and Georgia’s Jake Camarda have been unexpectedly picked forward of him within the fourth spherical. He ultimately heard his identify known as within the sixth spherical, touchdown with the contending Payments. It is unclear if NFL groups have been conscious of the allegations on the time of the draft.
Araiza’s profile continued to rise within the preseason when he unleashed an 82-yard punt.
The Payments formally dedicated to Araiza as their beginning punter earlier this week once they launched veteran Matt Haack, leaving the rookie as the one punter on their roster.
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