A South Florida charter school principal is facing a rape charge for a sexual assault on a female employee, authorities said.
Peter Nicholson, 55, was arrested Wednesday on one count of sexual assault related to the October incident, the Broward Sheriff's Office said Thursday.
Nicholson, the principal at Flagler High School in Pompano Beach, was booked into jail and later released. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.
According to the BSO, Nicholson and the employee were both at the school when he approached her and made advances. She told him repeatedly to stop but he forcibly pulled her pants down and had sex with her against her will, the BSO said.
He later apologized to the woman for abusing his authority, the BSO said.
The victim reported the crime on Feb. 21, several months after the Oct. 26 incident, saying she was afraid she'd lose her job if she reported the rape, the BSO said.
Accelerated Learning Solutions, the management company that runs the school, released a statement saying they are conducting a full internal investigation.
"Pending the investigation, both employees have been placed on administrative leave with pay. ALS will fully cooperate with law enforcement in the event they conduct an investigation," the statement said. "The Assistant Principal has been placed in charge of the school. The school will continue providing educational services to its students and operating in its usual fashion."
