Rams draft pick Tyler Higbee to be arraigned on assault charge
Los Angeles Rams draft pick Tyler Higbee will be arraigned in a Kentucky courtroom Thursday on charges that stem from an altercation outside a club on April 10.
Higbee, who played tight end at Western Kentucky University, will plead not guilty to second-degree assault, second-degree evading police and public intoxication charges, his lawyer, Brian Lowder, told USA TODAY Sports. The Rams selected Higbee in the fourth round at last week’s draft.
“He’s in good spirits and is excited about the opportunity to play with the Rams,” Lowder said.
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Messages left with Christopher Cohron, the commonwealth attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, were not returned this week.
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The man Higbee allegedly assaulted, Nawaf Alsaleh, outside a Bowling Green music club lay unconscious for at least 20 minutes, according to the police report obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Alsaleh was transported to TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville in serious condition, where he was diagnosed with a concussion and brain hemorrhage. He was eventually upgraded to good condition and released days later, according to WBKO-TV.
Higbee denied using racial slurs leading up to hitting Alsaleh, which witnesses told police preceded the altercation. Higbee did tell police he said “Watch out, Haji” after he struck Alsaleh.
“Higbee stated that the victim had been getting close to his girlfriend and getting close to him and stuck his head in Higbee’s face,” one of the Bowling Breen police officers wrote in the report. “Higbee stated that he hit the victim once and knocked him out and then left the area.”
Higbee initially fled the scene when officers arrived before he was eventually caught as he tried to hide behind some small trees near a church, according to the report. It also said Higbee "was heavily intoxicated" and had "heavily slurred speech."