TOM COYNE
Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame reserve Will Mahone is facing felony charges of assault on a police officer, intimidation of a public servant and vandalism after being arrested in his Ohio hometown.
Mahone appeared before an Austintown judge on Monday to face the three felony charges as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct for an incident Saturday night in Austintown, about 70 miles southeast of Cleveland. A court spokeswoman said Mahone entered not guilty pleas on the misdemeanor charges, but the court doesn’t accept an initial plea on the felony charges.
Judge David D’Apolito set bond for Mahone at $75,000 and scheduled a pretrial hearing for July 11. Mahone remained in the Mahoning County Jail on Monday afternoon. His lawyer, James Gentile, declined comment when reached by The Associated Press.
Mahone, who started his career at Notre Dame as a running back, didn’t play as a freshman and played as slot receiver in two games last season but didn’t have a catch or carry. Mahone had surgery for a fracture to his right foot on March 6.
According to the Austintown Police Department report, police responding to reports of a fight shortly about 10:20 p.m. Saturday found Mahone punching and head butting vehicles and trying to fight several people. When officers confronted the 20-year-old Mahone he was being held back by another male and police say he appeared highly intoxicated.
Police say when an officer told Mahone to get on the ground, Mahone yelled an obscenity at him and called him “white boy.” The police report says Mahone wouldn’t comply when the officer tried to handcuff him and after being handcuffed and told he was under arrest he told the officer: “Take these cuffs off and I’ll kill you.”
The report says Mahone tried to break free from officers as he was being brought to the police car and hit his head against the head of a police officer. The report says Mahone then continued to threaten to kill the officers and tried to kick out the back window of the police car. Police say Mahone then began spitting on the windows and seat of the police car so they had to put a spit mask on him.
Police say they brought Mahone to St. Elizabeth Health Center so a cut they say he sustained under his left eye before they arrived could be treated. They say Mahone continued to act irate and screamed obscenities at police and hospital staff.
Notre Dame officials said the university is aware of the incident and “is confident that it will be handled in a prompt and professional manner through the criminal justice system.” It also said internal discipline is handled privately. Spokesman Dennis Brown said Mahone was still enrolled as a student Monday afternoon.
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