Iowa State linebacker Aidan Ralph charged with domestic assault, sexual abuse

Iowa State linebacker Aidan Ralph was arrested and charged with first-degree domestic assault and third-degree sexual abuse Tuesday, WHO 13 in Des Moines reported. He was booked into Story County Jail on Wednesday with a bond set at $11,000, and the Cyclones have suspended him indefinitely from team activities.

The charges against Ralph stem from an incident with his girlfriend that occurred on December 3. Police documents say that Ralph’s girlfriend arrived at his apartment in the early morning and the two began arguing after he accused her of cheating on him.

As the argument escalated, Ralph allegedly turned violent. The complaint says he shoved the victim multiple times and then shoved her into a set of stairs. The impact caused a stress fracture to her spine, resulting in “great pain and visible swelling.” Ralph later admitted to police that he shoved his girlfriend and caused her injuries.

The document goes on to say that Ralph’s girlfriend asked him to call for medical services but he refused. She removed her pants to examine the injuries when Ralph allegedly forced himself on her and began to rape her. The victim cried and pleaded for Ralph to stop during the assault, but he “physically flipped [redacted] over so that she was facing away from Ralph so that he could not see her crying,” police say.

The victim told police that she felt unable to get Ralph off of her because of their size difference. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds according to the Iowa State website.

Ralph and his girlfriend had been dating for three years prior to the incident, according to police. The complaint said that the two “cohabited at each other’s residences.” He has a preliminary hearing in the case scheduled for May 15.

Ralph has since been issued not to make contact with the victim.

Aidan Ralph committed to Iowa State in 2021 as a three-star recruit out of De La Salle Institute in Chicago. He ranked as the No. 180 linebacker in the 2021 class according to the On3 Industry Rating, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Despite being on the team for the past two seasons, Ralph has not appeared in any games for the Cyclones. The team website lists him as a “squad member” from last season after redshirting as a true freshman.