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A 17-year-old Florida Gators freshman football player has been arrested following an alleged violent confrontation with his girlfriend on June 1. According to police reports obtained by the Gainesville Sun, the player faces a third-degree felony charge of false imprisonment related to dating violence.
The player’s name hasn’t been released due to Florida law protecting juvenile offenders. If convicted, he could face up to five years behind bars and a $5,000 fine. The case will be handled in Alachua County Civil Court’s juvenile division.
A Florida spokesperson told the Sun: “We will continue to gather facts, cooperate with and monitor the legal and administrative process.”
The situation reportedly escalated after the player discovered something on his girlfriend’s phone. When she tried to leave the room, he allegedly blocked her exit, grabbed her phone, and threw it against the wall.
Things turned physical from there.
According to the victim’s statement, the nearly 400-pound player (who outweighs her by more than 200 pounds) pushed her onto a bed, restrained her, shook her, choked her, and punched her multiple times in the face. After the alleged attack, she asked him “are you satisfied?” to which he reportedly answered “yes.”
While the player admitted to throwing the victim’s phone against a dresser, he denied both choking her and preventing her from leaving the room. However, responding officers noted fresh wounds on the victim’s face and observed dents in the bedroom wall that matched the size and shape of her phone.
Second Arrest Rocks Gators Program
This incident marks the second arrest for Billy Napier’s program in recent weeks. Cornerback Dijon Johnson was arrested in Tampa last month facing multiple charges related to guns and drugs — including two felonies.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Florida, as Napier enters a critical third season needing to show significant improvement after back-to-back losing seasons. These off-field issues create additional challenges for a program trying to rebuild its culture and on-field product.
