Arrest made in stranger sexual assault case

  • Location

    1300 block Applegate Road
    Madison, WI 53713
  • Incident Date

  • Incident Type

    Sexual Assault
  • Case ID

    2026-041891

43.033165, -89.4055438

This map displays an approximate location.

Incident Details

The Madison Police Department is investigating a sexual assault that occurred last Thursday along the 1300 block of Applegate Road.

MPD officers responded to a report of a frantic cleaning crew member who had reported that she was assaulted while working alone inside of a business. Officers located the woman inside of the business where she then provided a description of her unknown assailant.

Detectives working on this investigation were able to review video surveillance footage containing the suspect described. With assistance from the Wisconsin State Department of Corrections, the man was identified as 37-year-old Ronnie Ballard.

On Friday, officers were able to take Ballard into custody without incident outside of the West Towne Mall as he was about to enter a vehicle. Ballard was then booked into the Dane County Jail on an outstanding warrant issued by the Department of Corrections.

At this time, charges related to this assault have been referred to the Dane County District Attorney's Office and Ballard remains in custody.

This case is still actively being worked on by the MPD West District Sensitive Crimes Unit.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or online at p3tips.com.

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