Ben Roethlisberger: Officer Jerry Blash Resigns Over Assault Case

Photos

Ben Roethlisberger: Doug Benc, Getty Images Sport

see larger image

uploaded by Getty Images

• 

  uploaded by Getty Images | add comment

• 

  uploaded by truello | add comment

Officer In Ben Roethlisberger's Sexual Assault Case Resigns

Jerry Blash, the police officer who was the first law-enforcing official to take a report from the woman accusing Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her, has resigned after eight years in service. Georgia police chief Woodrow Blue confirmed the resignation. Roethlisberger, 28, was not charged with a criminal offense in relation to allegations that he sexually assaulted an unnamed young woman at Capital City night club in Milledgeville, Georgia on March 5.

• Ben Roethlisberger Accuser Letter, Police Report Released
• Ben Roethlisberger Will Not Face Sexual Assualt Charges

It was later discovered that Officer Blash was pictured in the photos that were taken earlier on the night of the alleged assault posing with Roethlisberger. Blash and other police officers at the night club when the incident took place. It is alleged that Blash and one other officer were on duty that night. Blash admitted to investigators that he made derogatory comments about the woman to other police officers. It is also reported that Blash accused the victim of "fabricating" the alleged attack.

The nydailynews.com cites Blash as saying to other officers:

TMZ also reports that Blash informed the accuser and her friends that "Roethlisberger has a lot of money" and if the women were to follow through with a police report, they "would be wasting their time."

The police report leaked by thesmokinggun.com reveals some gruesome details of the alleged assault. It is alleged that Ben Roethlisberger exposed himself before the victim. After the woman was trying to leave, it is alleged that Roethlisberger followed her into a nearby bathroom where the assault happened. The report indicates that the alleged victim was intoxicated. The young woman's friends tried to help her by talking to one of Roethlisberger's bodyguards who has allegedly dragged the victim to the back room. Meanwhile, the Steelers' quarterback himself denies any wrongdoing.

In the days following the alleged assault, photos of Ben Roethlisberger and the police officers involved in the case appeared in the press. Milledgeville police chief Woodrow Blue acknowledged that the police officers did indeed pose in the photos published. However, it was noted that only one of the officers in the photos was actually involved in the initial investigation into the assault charges against Roethlisberger.  However, the report did not identify Roethlisberger as the perpetrator. No officers were involved in the investigation beyond the initial report filed by Blash.

This is the second time in the last year that Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault. The first woman casino employee Andrea McNulty claimed that Roethlisberger forced her to have sex with him. Similarly, no charges were filed in that case.

• Ben Roethlisberger: Andrea McNulty Accuses Ben of Sexual Assault