Football player for Vanderbilt banned after being accused of assaulting Adam Sparks and Natalie Neysa Alund, two off-duty police officersThe American Daily
Based on information from the university and police records, a Vanderbilt football player was accused of assaulting an off-duty police officer last week, leading to the player’s indefinite suspension from the team.
A traffic roadblock on Vanderbilt Place at 29th Avenue South was being driven around by Jones at around 6:43 p.m. that day when he was stopped by Charles Harrison, an off-duty police officer, according to an arrest affidavit from the Vanderbilt University Police Department.
According to the affidavit, Harrison was manning the road closure for Apex security and was clearly visible with his handgun and badge.
As Harrison tried to figure out where Jones was trying to go, Jones “refused to completely stop and struck Harrison on the left knee with the front left corner of Jones’ vehicle,” the affidavit reads.
Jones failed to stop the vehicle, drove off and parked at 2818 Vanderbilt Place, where police arrested him for aggravated assault, the affidavit states.
After his arrest, Jones was booked into the Metro jail and later released on $10,000 bond.
Jones, who plays defensive back, will not play in Vanderbilt’s season opener against MTSU on Saturday because of “disciplinary reasons,” coach Derek Mason said at Tuesday’s news conference. Mason later added that Jones will be suspended indefinitely until a thorough review of the facts.
It was not immediately known if the university had taken further disciplinary action against Jones.
Jones played in 11 of 12 games for Vanderbilt last season, including one start versus South Carolina. He finished with 11 tackles and one forced fumble, and he was the front-runner for a starting spot in preseason camp this season. .
Vanderbilt listed sophomore Frank Coppet as the starting safety in Jones’ spot for the MTSU game. “We have a next-player-up mentality,” fellow safety LaDarius Wiley said. “We have a very athletic defensive back group. Anybo
Jones is currently enrolled in the university’s College of Arts and Science and was competing for a starting spot. He is due in court for a hearing Sept. 21.