UConn fraternity president arrested over harassment incident

The president of a University of Connecticut fraternity is facing charges following an investigation into a hazing incident in February.

David Vallejo, 23, of Willington was recently arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, third-degree assault, third-degree strangulation/asphyxia and second-degree unlawful restraint in connection with an alleged assault that occurred during the fraternity’s formation process, according to Connecticut State Police.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, a person went to Troop C in Tolland and asked to speak to a police officer about an alleged assault that occurred on Feb. 8 and 9.

Police learned the victim was a University of Connecticut student. It was alleged that the victim was assaulted by Vallejo, the head pledge master and president of the fraternity, on February 8 and 9 during the admission process. It was alleged that harassment occurred during the initiation process and the victim was physically assaulted, the affidavit said.

The victim provided state police with details of the incident. According to the victim, he and another person were picked up by Vallejo at his dorm on the UConn campus on Feb. 8, the fifth day of the admissions process, the affidavit said.

The victim told state police that Vallejo was driving a Honda Civic and allegedly took the deposit money to a home on Tolland Turnpike in Willington. The victim claimed they went into the house and lined up “militarily,” the arrest warrant affidavit states. The victim claimed that the other bail bondsmen stood in front of the bondsmen while the bondsmen repeated what they said, the affidavit states.

The victim claimed that he and another pledge continually made mistakes and didn’t accurately convey what was being said. According to the affidavit, the pawnmasters then allegedly asked them to sit down and do push-ups while repeating what they said.

The victim told state police that he became fatigued, his arms gave out and he fell to the ground, the affidavit states. “Every time one of us fell to the ground, they forced us to start over,” the victim claimed.

At this point, Vallejo allegedly became angry and yelled directly at the victim because he kept falling to the ground. “I couldn’t do push-ups anymore,” the victim claimed, according to the affidavit. “He grabbed me by my uniform shirt, which I was forced to wear, and threw me across the room against the wall.”

Afterward, the victim claimed Vallejo began yelling at him to “speed it up,” the affidavit states. As he stood up, Vallejo allegedly took his right forearm, pressed it against the victim’s throat and began yelling at him.

The victim said he started crying and Vallejo allegedly stepped back and told him to get back up. According to the affidavit, Vallejo then allegedly had the pledges proclaim the fraternity’s “code.”

That night, the victim claimed he noticed bruises on his arms, elbows and my kneecaps, the affidavit states.

On Feb. 9, the sixth day of the dedication, the victim told state police that the deposit money had been picked up and went back to the house on Tolland Turnpike. He said the pledges were taught new information about the brotherhood to recite, according to the affidavit.

The victim claimed that Vallejo put the pledges back in the push-up position because they couldn’t accurately convey the new information. The victim said he started falling much earlier than the night before because he was so tired from the night before, the arrest warrant affidavit states. Vallejo allegedly began yelling at the victim: “The pain is just an excuse; I know you can do better,” the affidavit states.

The victim said he could not hold the push-up position because the bruises on his arms and knees were too painful. The victim claimed Vallejo became angry because he was making noises in pain, grabbed him and threw him across the room, the arrest warrant affidavit states.

Vallejo then allegedly told the victim that he was done with him and that this was his last night. Vallejo allegedly began making the victim take off his uniform, but the victim said he refused and said he wouldn’t stop, according to the affidavit.

The victim claimed Vallejo then told him to get back into the push-up position and say the “code” correctly. The victim said Vallejo then allegedly pushed him against the wall and pressed his right forearm into his neck. “Afterwards I took off my uniform and David talked to me when everyone else wasn’t there. After that, David was much nicer to me,” the victim claimed in the affidavit.

The victim told state police that he resigned from the fraternity on February 10th. He said he texted Vallejo and told him he was no longer interested in joining and refused to pay the rest of his initiation fee, according to the affidavit.

On March 21, the victim told state police that he returned his uniform to Vallejo and was allegedly attacked again. “I reported this to the UConn Police Department and have a case with them because this attack occurred on campus,” the victim said, according to the affidavit.

State police reviewed photos the victim took of the injuries and they were consistent with the statement made, the affidavit states.

According to state police, troopers attempted multiple times to contact another subject who was present at the time of the attack but received no response.

On April 15, state police allegedly spoke to Vallejo on the phone and asked him if he could come to Troop C for an interview. According to the affidavit, Vallejo said he wanted to consult an attorney.

Based on the evidence, the state police requested that an arrest warrant be issued. This was granted and on May 3, state police served the arrest warrant against Vallejo. He was taken into custody, processed and released on $30,000 cash bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 21.