College football star arrested for assaulting woman in Georgia

Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young was arrested Tuesday on charges of assault and battery on an unborn child.

Athens-Clarke County Jail records show Young was booked on a misdemeanor charge at 4:18 a.m. A police report obtained by The Associated Press said his arrest followed an altercation with a 20-year-old woman who identified herself to police as Young's ex-girlfriend and told officers she had gone to Young's apartment “to to talk about their relationship.”

She said the discussion became heated “after she found out he was on the phone with another woman.” The woman told police that Young “physically dragged her out of his room” and also “grabbed her from behind” and ” picked her up and started squeezing her upper body and stomach very hard”.

The woman told police she believed Young was “trying to harm her.” The arresting officer said Young denied being responsible for a bruise, discoloration and redness the officer noted on the woman and denied grabbing her.

Young's attorney, Kim Stephens, told the AP in a statement that Young did not harm the woman.

“Colbie Young was arrested last night after he asked his ex-girlfriend to leave his apartment,” Stephens said. “He had no physical contact with her that could ever be considered a criminal offence. I expect that Mr. Young will be fully exonerated once our investigation is complete and the truth emerges.”

Young, a senior from Binghamton, New York, transferred to Georgia after two seasons in Miami. Young has 11 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns in five games for No. 5 Georgia, including two starts. Young had three catches for a team-leading 51 yards in a 31-13 win over Auburn last week.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart did not immediately comment on the arrest. Smart avoided discussing Young's status when speaking to reporters Tuesday after practice for Saturday's game against Mississippi State.

“I know you guys want to know about Colbie,” Smart said, then added, “But it's a pending lawsuit.”

Young was released Tuesday afternoon on $3,800 bail.

Smart said he had not spoken to Young. Smart does not typically announce whether a player will be suspended following arrests, so Young's status for the Mississippi State game is uncertain.

Smart fired wide receiver Rara Thomas from the team before the season after Thomas was charged with cruelty to children and assault. It was Thomas' second arrest in two years, a transfer from Mississippi State.

On September 12, cornerback Daniel Harris was arrested for reckless driving after police said he was driving 106 miles per hour. Harris was the latest of at least two dozen driving-related violations, including drunken driving, reckless driving or speeding, involving Georgia players.

Smart has admitted that he has a hard time getting his players to drive safely — an issue that has been ongoing since an accident that killed a player and a recruiting staff member in January 2023, shortly after the team won its second straight national championship celebrated, has become more important. Offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed in the car accident on Jan. 15, 2023, just days after the Bulldogs won the national title game.