Frosh, two others charged for roles in bloody assault

Four officers and one of the mem charged were injured and sent to HUP in the Thursday incident. A student and two other men have been charged in connection with the incidents near Locust Walk Thursday night that sent four University Police officers and one of the men to the hospital. Warnell Owens, 26, will face the most severe charges: four counts of aggravated assault for allegedly attacking four members of the Penn police force while resisting arrest. Along with the officers, Owens was also sent to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, bleeding from injuries inflicted as the police tried to subdue him. College freshman Bill Sofield was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. His 28-year-old brother, Richard Sofield, an assistant U.S. attorney, will face a disorderly conduct charge, according to a police officer at the scene who requested anonymity. Owens -- a friend of the elder Sofield -- is a Harvard University alumnus and former college football player, the officer said. Owens and Richard Sofield were unreachable yesterday, and Bill Sofield declined to comment on the charges against him. The three were released over the weekend. The incident began when a University Police officer approached the men, who appeared intoxicated and reeked of beer. They were arguing with each other in front of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house at 3619 Locust Walk at 10:30 p.m., according to University Police Detective Commander Tom King. Almost immediately, the confrontation "escalated verbally until there was a lot of yelling and screaming" between the two parties, King said. While the officers arrested Richard Sofield for disorderly conduct, Bill Sofield and Owens ran inside the FIJI house and locked the door, according to the officer at the scene who requested anonymity. When police tried to enter to the house, FIJI brothers watching from upstairs windows refused to help, the officer added. FIJI President John Ward would not comment on whether brothers in the house refused to help police. "We're still trying to figure out what went on," the Wharton senior said, adding that there was "no level of involvement on the part of the house." Police eventually entered the house and arrested Bill Sofield after subduing him with pepper spray. Owens attempted to flee through a back door, where he was confronted by two officers, King said. When he left the FIJI house, Owens scuffled with the officers and reached for one of their guns, King said. The officers unsuccessfully tried to subdue him using pepper spray, but the substance spread and momentarily blinded the officers, allowing Owens to strike them and knock them to the ground. The officers were hospitalized with minor injuries. Owens then fled down the path between Walnut Street and Locust Walk until an officer confronted him behind Hillel at 202 S. 36th Street. He assaulted that officer -- sending him to the hospital -- and continued east, King said. When Owens emerged near the corner of 36th and Walnut streets, a group of officers approached him from behind and ordered him to "get on the ground," according to witnesses. But Owens reeled around and struck one of the officers full in the face, knocking off his helmet, possibly breaking his nose and fracturing bones in his face in the evening's most serious injury. After numerous officers hit Owens with their nightsticks in an attempt to stop him, one muscular officer finally succeeded in tackling Owens, allowing the others to arrest him, witnesses said. The officer who requested anonymity described Owens as a 6'3" black man weighing about 300 pounds. On Thursday, an eyewitness had mistakenly told The Daily Pennsylvanian that Owens was white, which was then reported incorrectly in Friday's DP. Both Sofields are white. Though four officers and Owens were sent to HUP with varying degrees of injury, police said the Halloween eve incident could easily have become a ghastly nightmare. "It could have been so much worse," King said, stressing the potential for serious injury or death.