COLUMBIA, Mo. • At the center of what Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel called an "embarrassing" sequence of off-field troubles for his program was a felony sexual assault charge brought Monday by the Boone Country prosecuting attorney's office against Mizzou senior tailback and co-captain Derrick Washington.

Consistent with a University of Missouri police document obtained last week by the Post-Dispatch, the probable cause statement alleging deviate sexual assault states "the facts supporting this belief" stem from Washington's actions during a three-minute period in mid-June.

Those three minutes now could end Washington's career at Mizzou.

Because the charge is a felony, by Mizzou athletics policy he is ineligible to play at Missouri until it is resolved.

A source close to the situation told the Post-Dispatch last week that a plea agreement was being discussed.

But Boone County assistant prosecutor Andrea Hayes declined Monday to address that possibility and said, "At this point, we've filed the felony, and we're proceeding on the felony."

Hayes said Washington turned himself in on Monday and posted $4,500 bond. She was not immediately certain of the date of his arraignment but believed it to be set for late September.

According to the probable cause statement and a source close to the alleged victim, just before 2:30 a.m. June 19 Washington made an unexpected visit to a female friend and banged loudly on doors and windows until he was let in.

After tense discussion between them, the woman said in a supplemental police interview, Washington left the room from approximately 2:33 a.m. to 2:36 a.m. During that time, it's alleged that he opened the closed door of her sleeping roommate and sexually assaulted the roommate before returning to the other woman's room.

Days later, the alleged victim sought and received an order of protection against Washington, stating in court documents, "I was sexually assaulted by him. ... I am pressing criminal charges. I fear physical retaliation."

An attorney for Washington, Chris Slusher of Columbia, did not return a phone message on Monday. But Slusher's law firm, Holder, Susan and Slusher, on Monday afternoon sent to five media outlets, including the Post-Dispatch, a statement on the matter.

"Mr. Washington intends to exercise his right to be presumed innocent and defend himself in a court of law," it read in part.

The statement also asserted that Washington was "never served and provided notice that an order of protection was sought" and noted that the order was dismissed when the accuser did not appear in court July 21 for a hearing seeking a full order.

By then, a source said, the alleged victim had moved out of state.

The attorney's statement added, "Mr. Washington never had the opportunity to respond to the accusations in the application for the order of protection."

One way or another, Washington will be responding now to what Pinkel called "a very, very serious matter" — one that Pinkel has made a point of emphasis even beyond his team. Pinkel has said players should never put a hand on a woman and always should treat women with respect.

Not abusing alcohol also is a frequent point of emphasis, Pinkel said. But since Aug. 2, three members of the program have been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Assistant coach Bruce Walker was the first and was punished internally, MU says, while linebacker Will Ebner and long snapper Beau Brinkley were left off the two-deep roster for Saturday's Illinois game after their arrests in the past 10 days.

Pinkel claimed responsibility for what has happened but also said he won't waver from his system, which has kept MU football clean most of his 10-year tenure.

"I'm embarrassed that we've taken a few hits," he said, adding, "I'm disappointed with it, that's an understatement, but our program was built (on discipline) and got us to this point and we're going to continue to do what we do. And I expect it to clean up.

"But we have to earn that back. We have to earn respect back. And that's the way it should be."

Tom Timmermann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.