Texas Christian University suspended wide receiver KaVontae Turpin, who was arrested Sunday on an assault charge, coach Gary Patterson said in a Big 12 conference call Monday.
Turpin, who scored two touchdowns in the Horned Frogs' 52-27 loss to Oklahoma, was charged with assault with bodily injury to a family member, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported.
Turpin, a senior, is TCU's all-time leader in special teams touchdowns with six in his career, WFAA reported. He scored on a career-best 99-yard touchdown against Oklahoma.
"Texas Christian University is aware that one of its students was recently arrested for a reported domestic situation," school officials told Star-Telegram in a statement. "The university takes these types of reports very seriously and is continuing to gather information to determine next steps. TCU expects its students to behave in an ethical manner, abide by campus policies and adhere to state and federal law."
Patterson said Turpin was unlikely to play against Kansas on Saturday.
“Everybody knows how I handle things like this,” Patterson said on the conference call. “My track record usually speaks for itself if you go back through it. We’re gathering information, but at this point in time he probably won’t play against Kansas.
“We have not received anything as far as information, police report, anything else. At this point in time, he knows how that all goes. All of (the players) do.”
Turpin was released from Tarrant County Jail, a spokesman said. The assault charge is a class A misdemeanor, and Turpin could face up to a year in prison and up to a $4,000 fine if convicted, the Star-Telegram reported.
A Fort Worth police spokesman said the incident involved Turpin and a woman, the newspaper reported. The spokesman did not say how Turpin and the woman were related but said a dating relationship would fall under “family member” assault.
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