This one is complicated, so I'm going to ask you to hang with me: Reggie Myles, a former Alabama player who was in Gainesville for the Florida-Alabama game on Saturday, is alleging that he was attacked from behind by Gators defensive tackle Dominique Easley after Florida's 38-10 loss to Alabama, Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News reports. Myles has filed a complaint with the University of Florida Police Department and an investigation is underway.
How Myles says he came to know it was Easley who allegedly attacked him shortly after midnight on Saturday is even more stunning:
Myles said he learned who his attacker was from Easley’s parents, who were at the scene. According to Myles, he was tackled from behind and the attack was unprovoked.
A cell phone, dropped by Myles’ assailant before he fled the scene, also may help police make an identification. Myles took possession of the phone and subsequently provided it to police at the scene.
"His parents were asking me for the phone back," Myles said.
Here is where I note a couple of important things that might work in Easley's favor: Easley has not been named a suspect, much less arrested, so there's still a decent chance that Myles' assailant was someone else. Furthermore, Myles was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct after the incident — charges UFPD insists are unrelated to the alleged battery — and it's possible, though unlikely, that he is either deliberately or unintentionally misremembering the incident.
Here is where I note a thing that makes me think Easley assaulted Myles: The level of detail in what Myles told either Goodbread or UFPD (it's unclear from the story), from him holding a soft aluminum container of chicken wings to him asking for security camera video, makes me think that he wasn't nearly intoxicated enough to be unaware of what was going on, or mistake people he took to be Easley's parents asking about their son's cell phone for someone else.
As with any criminal case involving Florida players — or humans, really — I urge you to let the case develop and allow the justice system to handle it without jumping to immediate conclusions based on incomplete evidence.
If Easley is indeed identified as a suspect, arrested, and charged with battery, I would expect Will Muschamp to suspend him for no less than one week based on precedent.