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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

UI football player arrested on rape charge

Kyree Curington
By Colton Clark Lewiston Tribune

University of Idaho football player Kyree Curington was arrested Saturday afternoon and faces a charge of rape, according to the Latah County Jail roster.

Curington was suspended from the football team after university officials were notified of the alleged on-campus occurrence Friday morning, UI spokeswoman Jodi Walker said.

A warrant was issued for Curington’s arrest after police logged an incident report early Friday morning relating to an alleged sex offense at the university’s Wallace Complex dormitories.

According to the Moscow Police Department’s daily log, a parent of the alleged victim made a call at 5:04 a.m. Friday from California, “advising possibly sexual assault.”

Curington was booked into the Latah County Jail at 2:19 p.m. Saturday. A criminal investigation is in progress and his bail is set at $75,000.

Walker said UI’s investigation is “ongoing.” Additionally, she noted that the necessary university employees have been notified of the circumstances, and are “working together on it with the Moscow Police Department.”

In cases concerning sexual assault, the school is compelled to carry out its investigations in compliance with Title IX guidelines and notify the Office of the Dean of Students. Walker said the investigation is being conducted through the dean of students as well as the Office of Civil Rights and Investigations.

The incident comes nearly four months after athletic director Rob Spear was fired “for convenience” by the Idaho State Board of Education, partially for his and the university’s mishandlings of sexual assault allegations against former football player Jahrie Level during the 2012-13 school year.

Former University of Idaho diver Mairin Jameson is suing the university, alleging UI failed to follow Title IX procedures and created a “heightened risk” by not properly responding to grievances. Two other women voiced complaints about Level, and Jameson’s lawsuit states university’s staff members were unprepared to handle the accusations.

A university-commissioned investigative report released about two weeks before Spear was fired found UI had acted “inadequately,” but also noted steps in the right direction since 2013 in relation to the institution’s handling of similar issues.

Curington, who Walker said remains an active student as of Saturday, is a freshman and was a defensive back for UI prior to his suspension from the team. He’s from New Orleans, La. According to the Advocate of Baton Rouge, La., Curington – while at Holy Cross High – was charged with two counts of simple battery because of his involvement in a New Orleans brawl, which reportedly began after a racial slur was directed at him.

He was ineligible to enroll at UI until prosecutors dropped charges on June 28, one week before the Vandals began practicing. He’s currently on a scholarship.

A spokesperson for UI athletics said the department has no comment at this time.