Ben Roethlisberger has not granted Georgia authorities an interview about the allegation that he sexually assaulted a college student earlier this month, but investigators did speak Saturday with "a number" of his companions that night.

"We have not been granted an interview with Roethlisberger at this time," Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Tom Davis said Tuesday in an e-mail.

"However, his attorney, Ed Garland, has cooperated with the investigation and has met every request we have made of Roethlisberger at this point with the exception of us interviewing him."

Agent Davis would not specify what other requests investigators have made of Mr. Garland.

Agent Davis, who runs his agency's field office in Milledgeville, where the assault allegedly occurred, would not identify who was interviewed or even say how many people in Mr. Roethlisberger's group spoke with police.

Steelers tackle Willie Colon was with Mr. Roethlisberger on March 4 and 5 when the quarterback and a group of friends went bar-hopping to celebrate Mr. Roethlisberger's birthday, which was March 2.

Also part of the group were Coraopolis police Officer Anthony J. Barravecchio and state Trooper Ed Joyner of the Washington barracks.

Other members of the party have not been identified.

Agent Davis described the investigation being conducted by his agency and the Milledgeville Police Department as "active" but would not provide details.

He also declined to answer questions about the accuser, the alleged assault, and efforts by law enforcement to acquire a DNA sample from Mr. Roethlisberger.

"It is not appropriate for me to answer most of these at this time because the case is ongoing," Agent Davis wrote. "We don't discuss issues dealing with evidence."

The woman, a 20-year-old student at Georgia College & State University, accused Mr. Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her inside the Capital City nightclub late March 4 or early March 5.

Mr. Garland has said his client is "innocent of criminal misconduct."

Agent Davis did confirm that the alleged victim herself filed the police report and named Mr. Roethlisberger as her attacker. An initial police news conference was vague about whether the woman herself or members of her party made the allegations.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette does not name alleged victims of sexual assault.

On Friday, one of the woman's lawyers, A. Lee Parks Jr., responded to an interview request with an e-mail saying, "We are not commenting on facts relevant to the ongoing criminal investigation."

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