After two seasons of limited play due to injuries, junior wide receiver Will Mahone is facing yet another restriction on his playing time — disciplinary action.
Monday, Irish coach Brian Kelly suspended Mahone indefinitely following Mahone’s arrest Sunday in Ohio on five charges, according to an announcement from sports information director Michael Bertsch.
Mahone is suspended from all football-related activities. He was arrested on Sunday around 10:30 p.m. after police in Austintown, Ohio, responded to a complaint about a fight, the South Bend Tribune reported.
He has been charged with assault of a police officer, intimidation of a public servant/party official and vandalism of a government entity, all felonies in Ohio, as well as with misdemeanor resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to a Mahoning County Sheriff's report.
Mahone was arraigned Monday in Mahoning County Court with bond set at $75,000, according to the Tribune.
Witnesses told police Mahone was intoxicated while head-butting, punching vehicles and trying to fight people, the Tribune reported. Mahone physically resisted arrest and shouted expletives and threats at officers, and allegedly responded to an officer’s request to get on the ground with “(Expletive), white boy.”
He continued to resist arrest after being taken to the ground by an officer, the police report obtained by the Tribune alleges. Allegedly, the handcuffed Mahone repeatedly yelled at officers, “Take these cuffs off, and I’ll kill all of you.”
Mahone also is accused of trying to kick police and of thrashing his head backwards and striking an officer on the forehead, according to the Tribune.
Mahone was initially taken to a hospital to receive treatment for a cut on his eye, but he continued to shout expletives and was later transported to Mahoning County Justice Center for incarceration, the Tribune reported.
“The University is aware of this incident and is confident that it will be handled in a prompt and professional manner through the criminal justice system,” Notre Dame officials said a Monday statement published in the Tribune. “Internal discipline is handled privately, in accord with our own policies and federal law.”
The judge entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Mahone for the misdemeanor charges, but in Ohio judges cannot enter a not guilty plea for felonies, the Tribune reported. His next court appearance would be a pretrial hearing at 6:30 p.m. on July 7.
