FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A dean at Fairmont State University has been placed on administrative leave after being charged with second-degree sexual assault.
Peter Lach, 68, the dean of the Fine Arts Deptartment, allegedly pulled down the pants of a coworker, held him down and initiated oral sex. The alleged incident took place Saturday in Lach’s office at Wallman Hall.
The man reported the alleged assault while being treated at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport. He said he hit his head on the copy machine in Lach’s office during the incident.
Lach was arrested Sunday and initially held on $50,000 bail.
Fairmont State released a statement Monday:
“Fairmont State University Police were contacted about an incident that occurred on campus on Saturday, Aug. 3. Campus Police immediately began a thorough investigation and reached out to the West Virginia State Police to assist in the investigation. Peter Lach was arrested without incident. The case is now in the hands of the Marion County prosecutor’s office. Lach was most recently Dean of the School of Fine Arts. He has been placed on administrative leave,” university spokesperson Amy Pellegrin said.
Lach has worked at Fairmont State since July 2002.