Edina Man Accused Of Campus Sex Assaults Compares Himself To 'Fonzie'
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A suspended University of Wisconsin student accused of sexually assaulting and harassing several women asked a judge to dismiss four of the 21 charges against him on Friday, arguing that some of his actions were no worse than "Happy Days" television character Arthur Fonzarelli's antics.
Alec Cook, 20, appeared in court during a hearing to make the requests. He also is charged with stalking, strangulation and false imprisonment in cases dating back to March 2015.
Cook's attorneys argued that one stalking charge should be tossed because Cook only called the alleged victim beautiful and repeatedly put his arm around her, which his attorneys compared to Fonzarelli's flirtatious antics.
Cook also wants the judge to dismiss a sexual assault charge, arguing the alleged victim couldn't say whether he grabbed or slapped her, along with a disorderly conduct charge for allegedly making sexual remarks in a grocery store and another stalking charge.
The 21 charges involve 10 women, including a woman he met in a ballroom dancing class, a woman he met in a psychology class and another woman he met at a party. His attorneys have argued that the ballroom assaults never happened, and the rest of the encounters were consensual.
Cook, who is from Edina, Minnesota, is free on $200,000 bond.
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