A freshman football player at the University of Florida was arrested for false imprisonment related to dating violence following an alleged altercation on June 1, according to a Gainesville Police report obtained by the Gainesville Sun. The 17-year-old is expected to be charged as a juvenile in Alachua County Civil Court on a third-degree felony, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The name of the alleged attacker was withheld in the report under Florida law.
“We will continue to gather facts, cooperate with and monitor the legal and administrative process,” a Florida spokesperson said in a statement to the Sun.
The alleged confrontation became physical after a verbal dispute escalated over information discovered on the victim’s cellphone. The victim told police she tried to exit the room but was blocked by the accused, who then grabbed her phone and threw it against the wall.
The victim claims she was pushed onto a bed, shaken, restrained, choked and punched multiple times in the face. The accused, who weighs close to 400 pounds, outweighs the victim by more than 200 pounds.
After the alleged physical attack, the victim recounted asking the accused, “are you satisfied?” to which he responded “yes,” according to the report.
The accused denied choking the victim or preventing her from leaving the room but admitted to throwing her cellphone against a dresser. Officers observed fresh wounds on the victim’s face and noticed dents on the bedroom wall that matched the size and shape of the victim’s phone.
This marks the second arrest of a Florida football player recently. Cornerback Dijon Johnson was arrested in Tampa last month on multiple gun and drug charges, including two felonies.
CBS Sports will update this story as more information becomes available.
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