One suspect was arrested and another pending arrest has been issued in connection with the Nov. 7 attack of West Virginia University student Ryan Diviney.
Austin Vantrease, 18, of Newark, Del., was charged with malicious assault Wednesday, said Morgantown Police Department First Sgt. Steve Ford, in a press release.
Vantrease was arraigned in Monongalia County Magistrate Court before posting a $75,000 bond, said Ken Diviney, Ryan's father.
Another arrest warrant has been issued for an unnamed male, he added. The suspect is scheduled to turn himself in today.
Ryan was in a fight Nov. 7 outside the Willey Street Dairy Mart at 3:10 a.m. Ryan was unconscious when MPD arrived on scene. Five to seven males were attacking Ryan and his two friends.
With two suspects named, Ken said the community can rest knowing Ryan's attackers have been apprehended.
The suspects were caught after witnesses came forward with their identification, he added.
"From a public safety point of view, everyone should feel at ease," he said. "I haven't focused on it, but I'm glad because soon they will have to answer for their actions."
Continued support from the University and the Morgantown community overwhelms Ken and his family.
He is thankful for the work students did in
raising awareness of Ryan's incident.
The posters, asking for information, leading to arrests, placed around campus were student driven, he said.
"There hasn't been a day that we haven't broken down," he said. "The faculty, all the way to (President James Clements) came out to visit us at the hospital and called constantly to see how he is doing. I understand why Ryan truly loves the University and is proud to call himself a Mountaineer."
Ken said Ryan has been in a coma since the night of the attack and has come close to death several times.
Over the weekend, Ryan suffered a hemorrhage of the brain stem caused by the initial attack but pulled through, Ken said.
Ryan's attack was random and no reflection of campus safety, he said, adding his daughter has applied to WVU and is not worried a similar attack will happen to her.
The arrests are the first step in reaching justice for Ryan and provide an opportunity for safety awareness, said Tom Sloane, senior associate dean of students.
He is very pleased the Diviney family can move toward closure.
"The arrest is the first step in determining what happened," Sloane said. "The WVU community has been very caring and very supportive when one of our own falls by the wayside side."
Sloane continues to hope and pray for Ryan's complete recovery.
Ken said Ryan will return to WVU upon recovery because he is a "true Mountaineer through and through."
is a member of the 
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