The University of Tennessee Volunteers starting safety Jaylen McCollough was arrested on a charge of aggravated felony assault Sunday, according to reports. McCollough knocked a man down a flight of steps. The alleged victim was bloodied, lost teeth and lost consciousness.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a call at an apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. A man with a bloody, swollen mouth and missing teeth said he had been drinking with friends that live in the complex.
At some point the man left to retrieve items from a vehicle. Upon his return from the vehicle he accidentally went to the wrong building. He knocked on the door of an apartment but no one answered. So he opened the unlocked door and entered.
When he entered the man realized he was in the wrong apartment and apologized to the residents. Once he left the apartment, a man followed him and became aggressive, according to the victim.
The victim said he apologized again but also told the man he “didn’t have to be a (expletive) about it.” The pursuing man then punched him in the face, and he fell backward down the stairs and lost consciousness.
When the victim regained consciousness, he said he was being helped to his feet by a different man, and a woman. The woman was identified by police to be McCollough’s girlfriend. Police say the found blood on the stairs leading up to the apartment.
McCollough’s girlfriend called him back to the scene and he arrived with his right hand in bandages and blood soaking through, according to police.
UT is aware of the incident and gathering information. Head coach Josh Heupel will likely address what he can, not much, at his weekly press conference.
Tennessee football standout Jaylen McCollough was arrested and accused of assaulting a drunk man who entered his home without permission. (Photo by Marvin Gentry/Getty Images)
Sounds like the alleged victim was drunk, went to his car, came back and walked into the wrong apartment. When he realized he was in the wrong spot he left, but McCollough followed him and assaulted him.
That’s the complainant’s version.
McCollough might argue that he told the intruder to leave and he didn’t. Maybe the alleged victim was talking reckless, and maybe they got entangled and the victim due to his intoxication fell down the stairs.
Of course, that doesn’t explain the blood on his hand and him fleeing the scene.
Drunken people stumbling into random apartments particularly in complexes in college towns, where college students reside is sort of common. How and why this situation led to assault is what the police will be investigating.
McCollough was questioned by the police but did not answer and he was arrested. He was released from jail on Monday morning.
He is the third Tennessee football player to be arrested in the past two months.
On September 11th, offensive lineman Savion Herring was arrested on a charge of domestic assault. On August 21st, linebacker William Mohan was arrested on a charge of felony aggravated domestic assault. Both players were dismissed from the football team.
Following that trend, the senior McCollough could be the next player dismissed.
