Georgia’s Smart suspends Young 1 day after arrest on assault on unborn child, battery charges
Georgia coach Kirby Smart placed wide receiver Colbie Young on indefinite suspension on Wednesday, one day after Young’s arrest following an altercation with a woman.
Young was arrested Tuesday on two charges of battery and one charge of assault on an unborn child following the altercation with a 20-year-old woman who described herself to Athens-Clarke County Police as Young’s ex-girlfriend.
“I got to speak to him this morning, you know, and he’s been suspended indefinitely until this legal matter is resolved,” Smart said on the weekly Southeastern Conference coaches conference call.
“We can’t really comment any further on the specifics of it,” he said, “but had a good meeting with him this morning, and we’re committed to continuing to educate our players and and do the best job we can of making sure they understand the the serious nature of these incidents. And it’s very unfortunate.”
Smart said he wants players “to be responsible in decision making on and off the field. And you know, this is obviously a really tough situation.”
Young was released from the Athens-Clarke County jail on $3,800 bond Tuesday afternoon. He is not expected to be available when No. 5 Georgia plays Mississippi State on Saturday as he faces the misdemeanor charges.
According to a police report obtained by The Associated Press, the woman told officers she went to Young’s apartment “to speak about their relationship.” She said the discussion became heated “after she found out he was on the phone with another woman.” The woman told police Young “physically pulled her out of his room” and also “grabbed her from behind” and “picked her up and began to squeeze her torso and abdomen very hard.”
The woman told police she believed Young “was trying to harm her.” The arresting officer said Young denied being responsible for a bruise, discoloration and redness the officer found on the woman and denied grabbing her.
Young’s attorney, Kim Stephens, told the AP in a statement Young “asked his ex-girlfriend to leave his apartment. He did not make any physical contact with her in any way that could ever be considered a crime. I expect Mr. Young to be fully exonerated once our investigation is complete and the truth revealed.”
Young, a senior from Binghamton, New York, transferred to Georgia following two seasons at Miami. He has 11 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns in five games, including two starts. Young had three catches for a team-leading 51 yards in last week’s 31-13 win over Auburn.
Smart dismissed wide receiver Rara Thomas from the team before the season after Thomas was charged with cruelty to children and battery. It was the second arrest in two years for Thomas, a transfer from Mississippi State.
On Sept. 12, cornerback Daniel Harris was arrested on a reckless driving charge after police said he was driving 106 mph. Harris was the latest of at least two dozen driving-related violations such as DUI, reckless driving or speeding involving Georgia players.
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