Georgia WR Colbie Young arrested for assault and battery on an unborn child

ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia receiver Colbie Young was arrested early Tuesday morning on charges of assault and battery on an unborn child, according to the Athens-Clarke County Jail website.

Young was arrested at 4:18 a.m. and released on bail Tuesday afternoon.

He has been suspended indefinitely “until his legal situation is resolved,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Wednesday. Smart met with Young on Wednesday morning, who has denied the allegations through his attorney.

“We are committed to continuing to educate our players and doing our best to ensure they understand the seriousness of these incidents,” Smart said. “It's very unfortunate, but we want to take responsibility in decision-making on and off the field and of course this is a really difficult situation.”

According to athletic department protocol, the situation is in the hands of the athletic department and not solely at Smart's discretion.

According to the arrest report, the complainant, who described herself as Young's ex-girlfriend, came to his apartment around midnight to discuss the status of their relationship and remained there for approximately 20 minutes. The conversation became heated “after she found out he was on the phone with another woman.” The complainant told police Young then grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the room. Young then returned to his bedroom, closed the door and locked it.

Young left the room again when the woman received a phone call and answered it. The woman told police that Young then “picked her up and began squeezing her torso and stomach very hard.”

The officer reported that the woman had “a bruise and discoloration on the lower right side of her chest where it meets her stomach.” She also had redness on her right flank. No injuries were noted on the arm where she was allegedly grabbed by Mr. Young.”

The woman refused to be transported to the hospital by ambulance, but agreed to leave if the officer would transport her.

The officer then visited Young at his apartment. He confirmed the heated argument but denied ever grabbing the woman and when asked how she sustained the injuries, “he told me they weren't his.”

“Colbie Young was arrested last night after asking his ex-girlfriend to leave his apartment,” Kim Stephens, Young’s attorney, said in a statement. “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, transferred from Miami after last season. He is the second transfer receiver in recent years to be arrested shortly after joining the program: Rara Thomas was arrested on misdemeanor battery charges in January 2023, just a month after transferring from Mississippi State. He remained with the team after completing a deal, but was released this summer after another arrest for assault.

This is the latest in a series of legal problems involving the Georgia program, which has seen 10 players and one staff member arrested for driving-related incidents since January 2023.

(Photo: Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)