Vol67
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University of Florida linebacker Taurean Charles was jailed Tuesday after authorities said he punched a UF student in the head and threw a beer keg on his face during a party last month.
Charles, a sophomore from Miami, was suspended from the team indefinitely Tuesday night by UF athletic director Jeremy Foley.
"Taurean Charles will be suspended from football team activities immediately and his status will be determined as we gather more information," Foley said.
UF coach Ron Zook could not be reached for comment.
Charles, 20, was at a party at 330 NW 20th St. on June 13 when several men began arguing at about 1:30 a.m., said Gainesville Police Sgt. Keith Kameg. There were between 100 and 200 people at the party, Kameg said.
Witnesses later told authorities some UF football players at the party were throwing ice, Kameg said.
A woman at the party who was Jell-O wrestling with another woman later told authorities she was shoved to the ground when she tried to break up the argument, Kameg said.
Dane Eagle, a UF student, was sitting on the wooden railing of a deck at the house when Charles punched him in the head, the report states. Eagle fell off the deck and landed on the ground.
While Eagle, 21, lay on the ground semi-conscious, Charles picked up a partially-full beer keg and threw it at Eagle, the report states. Another man at the party, Paul Raven of Gainesville, tried to deflect the keg with his hand, but the keg was too heavy and landed on Eagle's face, Kameg said.
"If the keg had not been deflected, we could be talking about something different now," Kameg said.
Eagle suffered a concussion in the attack, along with a broken nose requiring surgery and multiple stitches to his head, the report states. Eagle was treated at Shands at UF.
Police have been investigating the incident since. There was a lot of information and detectives had to verify every story, Kameg said.
Police interviewed Charles on Tuesday. Charles admitted hitting Eagle with the keg, Kameg said.
Authorities don't know what motivated Charles to hit Eagle, Kameg said.
"With large parties, fights break out," Kameg said. "If you're looking for a motive, you just don't have it. You usually have a really ridiculous reason the fight breaks out."
Charles was charged with aggravated battery. He was booked into the Alachua County jail and will face a judge this morning.
Authorities plan to charge two other people with battery in connection with the incident.
This is the second legal problem for Charles in a little more than a year. Charles pleaded no contest to simple battery for allegedly roughing up a female UF student in a dorm room altercation in March 2003. He was ordered to pay court costs of $340 or serve 34 hours of community service, serve one year of probation and attend an anger management assessment at UF. He also was suspended from the 2003 season opener by Zook.
Charles, a sophomore from Miami, was suspended from the team indefinitely Tuesday night by UF athletic director Jeremy Foley.
"Taurean Charles will be suspended from football team activities immediately and his status will be determined as we gather more information," Foley said.
UF coach Ron Zook could not be reached for comment.
Charles, 20, was at a party at 330 NW 20th St. on June 13 when several men began arguing at about 1:30 a.m., said Gainesville Police Sgt. Keith Kameg. There were between 100 and 200 people at the party, Kameg said.
Witnesses later told authorities some UF football players at the party were throwing ice, Kameg said.
A woman at the party who was Jell-O wrestling with another woman later told authorities she was shoved to the ground when she tried to break up the argument, Kameg said.
Dane Eagle, a UF student, was sitting on the wooden railing of a deck at the house when Charles punched him in the head, the report states. Eagle fell off the deck and landed on the ground.
While Eagle, 21, lay on the ground semi-conscious, Charles picked up a partially-full beer keg and threw it at Eagle, the report states. Another man at the party, Paul Raven of Gainesville, tried to deflect the keg with his hand, but the keg was too heavy and landed on Eagle's face, Kameg said.
"If the keg had not been deflected, we could be talking about something different now," Kameg said.
Eagle suffered a concussion in the attack, along with a broken nose requiring surgery and multiple stitches to his head, the report states. Eagle was treated at Shands at UF.
Police have been investigating the incident since. There was a lot of information and detectives had to verify every story, Kameg said.
Police interviewed Charles on Tuesday. Charles admitted hitting Eagle with the keg, Kameg said.
Authorities don't know what motivated Charles to hit Eagle, Kameg said.
"With large parties, fights break out," Kameg said. "If you're looking for a motive, you just don't have it. You usually have a really ridiculous reason the fight breaks out."
Charles was charged with aggravated battery. He was booked into the Alachua County jail and will face a judge this morning.
Authorities plan to charge two other people with battery in connection with the incident.
This is the second legal problem for Charles in a little more than a year. Charles pleaded no contest to simple battery for allegedly roughing up a female UF student in a dorm room altercation in March 2003. He was ordered to pay court costs of $340 or serve 34 hours of community service, serve one year of probation and attend an anger management assessment at UF. He also was suspended from the 2003 season opener by Zook.
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