Victim was screaming, saying she was trying to get away from Ashlyn Watkins, police say in basketball star’s arrest report

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) - New details were revealed about the arrest of the University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball player Ashlyn Watkins in an incident report.

Watkins was arrested by campus police on Saturday after an incident at an on-campus affiliated apartment complex at 650 Lincoln Street, police said.

She was charged with assault and kidnapping, but maintained her innocence through her lawyer and state representative Todd Rutherford.

According to the police report, officers encountered Watkins and the victim, who has not been identified, on the third floor of the garage after hearing someone scream for help and Watkins saying the victim was going to jump while holding her back.

The victim, who was listed in the report as a juvenile, told officers she was trying to get away from Watkins after they had gotten into an argument.

The report went on to say the victim said Watkins believed she was cheating on her after she helped a sick friend on the second floor.

Watkins described the victim as “her girlfriend,” the report said.

The report claimed Watkins admitted to grabbing her and walking outside after finding out she was with a friend.

Watkins said the two then went to her room to let out her dog before the victim ran through the parking garage and lifted herself up onto the ledge, the report read.

Watkins told officers she wrapped her arms arounds around the victim because she thought she was going to jump off the ledge, the report stated.

The report said after stating to an officer multiple times Watkins hit her, the victim later told officers Watkins did not hit her and she did not want the officer’s help.

The victim also said she was not trying to jump off the parking garage ledge, the report said.

Other details in the report claimed the victim “became uncooperative and continued to try to speak with Watkins and move closer to her” and Watkins would not let the victim use her phone to call her mother.

EMS determined the victim was not suicidal and cleared her without transport, according to the report.

When officers could not reach the victim’s parents by telephone, the report stated a Lexington County Sheriff’s Deputy was sent to their home. Deputies reached her mother by phone, who agreed to meet officers at the police department, where the victim was released.

Watkins was eventually taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the report said.

She was granted a $30,000 personal recognizance bond and her first appearance hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.

“We just ask for patience as we unpack what happened two nights ago,” Rutherford said. “We firmly believe when all the facts come out this will simply be a misunderstanding and she maintains her innocence throughout this entire process.”

Watkins, a junior at South Carolina, was a pivotal piece during the Gamecocks’ undefeated championship season.

As a Columbia native who attended Cardinal Newman, the forward was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022 before committing to the Gamecocks.

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