Irish junior quarterback Tommy Rees and senior linebacker Carlo Calabrese were arrested early Thursday morning by the South Bend Police Department, St. Joseph County police spokesperson Sgt. Bill Redman said. Rees was held on four misdemeanor counts, as the prosecutors decided not to pursue felony charges.
Rees was arrested and preliminarily charged for resisting arrest, battery to law enforcement, minor consumption and public intoxication, Redman said.
The preliminary charge of battery to law enforcement was reduced to a misdemeanor, which meant Rees' bail was set at $250 and he would not have to wait until in jail until a Friday arraignment.
The prosecutor's decision should also help Rees' University discipline case, as Notre Dame reserves the right to immediately suspend or dismiss students charged with a felony.
Calabrese was arrested for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and has since posted bond and was released at 3:42 a.m. on $150 cash bond, Redman said.
South Bend Police Captain Phil Trent said both were arrested around 12:30 Thursday morning at 716 North Notre Dame Avenue in South Bend.
Trent said officers were called to the scene after receiving a complaint of a loud party. After arriving, the officers noticed a large group in the backyard of the house with visible containers of alcohol.
Approximately five males attempted to flee by climbing the fence, Trent said, at which point the officers asked them to stop. After the males refused to stop, the officers began chasing Rees, Trent said.
"Mr. Rees specifically did not run in one direction, he was trying to elude the officers by running around some of the properties there, but he was eventually stopped in the middle of Notre Dame Avenue," Trent said. "The officer reports when he finally got close enough to put his hands on Mr. Rees, Mr. Rees turned around and kneed him in the midsection."
Trent said they both fell to the ground and Rees allegedly continued to "flail" and resist arrest when he was pepper-sprayed, at which time the officers were able to apprehend him.
When Rees, 19, was booked at St. Joseph County Jail, he recorded a .11 blood-alcohol content, Trent said.
Calabrese approached the officers in the middle of Notre Dame Avenue to intervene on Rees' behalf, Trent said.
"He got into a conversation with the officers and attempted to get them to release him, told them who he was, that he was a teammate, that he was a football player," Trent said. "At some point he realized his intervention was not going to have any sort of effect and he made a threat to the officers. He said, 'My people are going to get you.'"
Trent said members of the crowd watching grabbed Calabrese and pulled him back into the group, however, after a short while he started pushing people away and made the verbal threat again. At that time, he was arrested for disorderly conduct, Trent said. Calabrese, 21, recorded a .12 blood-alcohol content at St. Joseph County Jail.
Rees started 16 games at quarterback over the last two seasons, and is involved in a four-player competition for the fall's starting position.
Calabrese has two years of eligibility remaining.
"I am aware of last night's incident involving two of our football players," Irish coach Brian Kelly said. "I am of course very concerned given the nature of the allegations, but I am still gathering information. I'll withhold judgment until I can collect all the facts and speak with both Carlo and Tommy."
The University issued the following statement: "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. Internal discipline is handled privately, in accord with our own policies and federal law."
Senior Sports Writer Douglas Farmer contributed to this report.
