Creighton basketball player, Maurice Watson Jr. turned himself in to police Sunday afternoon, booked on felony sexual assault.
Not long before Watson Jr. turned himself in, the Omaha Police Department said their fugitive unit was looking for him.
One of Watson Jr.'s lawyers says they had already made arrangements with police, and don't understand why the fugitive unit was looking for him.
"I was surprised,” said Attorney Stu Dornan. “I had told them that he was on his way from Philadelphia and that he'd be turning himself in, which is exactly what he did."
Dornan says Watson Jr. is innocent of sexual assault.
"He’s the face of the Creighton basketball program,” Dornan said. “He's a very personable young man, a very likeable young man."
Dornan says it took longer than usual for Watson Jr. to make it back to Omaha for good reasons.
"He had to go through a winter storm and he's got a knee that was just surgically repaired so he has to get out of the car to stretch his knee from time to time."
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says Watson Jr. could have turned himself in, in Philadelphia.
"I mean he was a fugitive,” Kleine said. “There was a felony warrant out for his arrest at the time. If anybody would have came into contact with him, they wouldn't arrested him."
Kleine says he's glad Watson Jr. is in custody.
"We’re just pleased that he's in custody and that the U.S. Marshals and different law enforcement agencies aren't having to look for him anymore,” he said. “That's a good thing. It seems like this could have been taken care of a lot simpler."
Watson Jr. will try to make bond Monday.
One of his lawyers says that could take as long as Wednesday.
It could be several weeks before a preliminary hearing is set.
Creighton says they have no comment on Watson Jr.'s arrest.
