Female Students Attacked In Yard; Police Apprehend Cambridge Resident

University police arrested a man in Weld Hall North late Wednesday night, charging him with assault and battery and trespassing after he allegedly attacked a female freshman in the dorm's common room, Saul L. Chafin, chief of University Police, said yesterday.

Police said Mark R. Doyan, an 18-year-old resident of Cambridge, entered the common room, harrassed the lone freshman by flicking the room's lights on and off and proceeded to assault her.

Police said a male in the dorm heard the victim's screams and succeeded in overcoming Doyan, who was detained until police arrived shortly thereafter.

Doyan reportedly shouted, "I never touched you, I never touched you," when residents of the dorm entered the common room.

"There is no need for the students to become alarmed about this isolated incident," Chafin said, adding it would be impossible to assure that only Harvard students enter the Yard.

Police said another assault occurred in the Yard 45 minutes before the Weld incident. Though no positive connection between the two incidents can be made at this time. Chafin said, one might assume the two to be related because of their timing.

Naomi Aronberg '76-3, victim of the first assault, said yesterday she was attacked by a pursuer while walking from the Lehman Hall Gate to Lamont Library. She said she was attacked by a seemingly young and fairly weak man from behind as she approached the library.

"I screamed as if there were 4000 people attacking me." Aronberg said, adding that no one came to her rescue. She managed to escape from her assailant, whom she said was frightened by her screams.

Aronberg said she was unable to positively identify Doyan as her assailant, though she said his size and appearance fit the description. She added that at no time during the incident had she seen her assailant's face.

Police have not yet established any motives for either of the incidents, in which the victims were not seriously injured.