Filed under: Football
Florida Gators wide receiver Chris Rainey was arrested on Tuesday on felony charges of aggravated stalking, stemming from threatening texts sent to a woman he was dating, according to the Palm Beach Post. He was released a few hours later and was instructed not to have contact with the woman and maintain a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.According to police, officers received a call from a woman saying that Rainey was sending her text messages threatening her life. Rainey admitted to a judge that he sent a text saying "Time to Die Bitch u and ur ???" Police also said that the woman told them Rainey threatened her over the phone, saying he was going to break in her house through a window. "Wait and see what happens when they leave," Rainey reportedly told the woman. He denied saying that.
But in front of a judge, the alleged victim said that she did not fear for her life, she didn't want Rainey to get arrested and that they've been dating on and off for three years.
"I've known him for a long time," she told the judge, according to the Palm Beach Post. "He's never been in trouble, he doesn't drink, he doesn't do drugs. I don't feel safety issues from Chris."
Regardless of the outcome, Rainey has been suspended indefinitely from the team. Playing this weekend wasn't a sure thing anyway since he's recovering from a concussion he suffered in last week's game.
Rainey's attorney, Huntley Johnson Jr., told the Palm Beach Post that the case isn't as bad as it looks and everybody needs to calm down.
"I think we have a victim who does not want to be a victim," Johnson said. "I think that this is going to end up being a minor bump in the road for Chris. In the long-run, it would be appropriate, based on what I know, for him to be back on the team at some point this season. I'd be surprised if he's not."