Police have arrested a man on charges of battery against a Northwestern student.

The man, Yontan Vazquez, Jr., 21, approached a female student the night of Nov. 4 while she was waiting for a friend to pick her up on University Place near Scott Hall Circle, said University spokesman Bob Rowley. The student told police she attempted to walk away before Vazquez grabbed her from behind and asked for her phone number.

The student escaped and called University Police, who arrested the suspect. Vazquez is not affiliated with Northwestern, Rowley said.

The charges follow a similar, separate incident last week. A female student was crossing Chicago Avenue and Sheridan Road when a man “grabbed her backpack from behind, told her she was pretty and that he wanted to take nude photos of her,” Rowley said.

The man was described as a tall, white male with blonde hair and a heavy Russian accent. The woman called UP, but officers were unable to locate the suspect.

Rowley said UP believes the two incidents are unrelated.

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