MADISON, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – The Dane County District Attorney says the man who is accused of attacking a UW-Madison student may be the greatest public safety threat that lives in the county. That was the argument for a high cash bond for 26-year-old Brandon Thompson. The judge then set the bond at $1 million.

Thompson appeared in Dane County Court via Zoom. He is charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree reckless injury and strangulation. According to the criminal complaint, witnesses say Thompson alerted them to the victim but left before police got there. He later told investigators that he was angry that night when he came across the victim and “saw red”. He says he does not remember sexually assaulting her, but admitted he could have done so.

UW Police says they received dozens of surveillance videos from surrounding businesses that helped show the suspect following the victim in the early morning hours on Sunday. The victim is expected to survive.