Brandon A. Thompson will appear in a Dane County courtroom Thursday after a brutal attack left a University of Wisconsin-Madison student hospitalized with life-threatening injuries earlier this week.
The 26-year-old, who does not appear to have a prior record, was charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree reckless injury and strangulation.
Police alleged at a news briefing Wednesday that Thompson hung around at the crime scene after nearly killing the victim and told witnesses he'd "just found" her.
MADISON POLICE REVEAL HOW THEY CAUGHT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SEX ASSAULT SUSPECT
By the time police arrived, however, he was not there.
Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes said the Fitchburg Police Department stopped Thompson at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday for a registration violation. Fitchburg is about 5 miles south of Madison.
MADISON COPS ARREST SUSPECT IN UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SEX ASSAULT
Thompson had no connection to the victim, according to police.
First responders found her with severe injuries around 3:20 a.m. Sunday and rushed her to the hospital. Authorities said she is expected to survive but did not address her current condition during the news briefing.
One of the victim's friends told WISN-TV that she was found with a broken jaw and was strangled, sexually assaulted, and beaten.
Fox News' Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
