Antonio Brown: Arrest warrant issued for former NFL star over burglary with battery charges

Troubled sports star is being sought by police on assault charge

Police in Florida issued an arrest warrant for Antonio Brown, the free agent wide receiver (AP)

Police in Florida issued an arrest warrant for Antonio Brown, the free agent wide receiver whose NFL career has been derailed by off-field issues, for an incident on Tuesday outside his home, according to multiple reports.

A Hollywood, Florida, police spokesman told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that Brown faces charges of burglary with battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief less than $1,000. The spokesman did not immediately return messages on Wednesday night seeking to confirm those charges.

Brown's trainer, Glenn Holt, was arrested on Tuesday after an incident involving the driver of a moving van. According to police, the trainer Holt was charged with burglary with battery, a felony. Police reportedly were called to Brown's home on Tuesday afternoon.

According to WPLG, an ABC affiliate in Miami, Holt's arrest report states that Brown would not pay a fee to have items from the truck released to him after it arrived at his home. The station reported that the fee was $4,000, and that the driver left when Brown did not pay it. Brown threw a rock at the truck as it was leaving, the driver told investigators. The driver returned to Brown's home after being told that Brown would pay additional fees beyond the original $4,000 bill. But Brown reportedly refused to pay more than $4,000 and allegedly stepped the cabin of the truck and grabbed at the driver.

Holt is accused of entering the truck to take the key from the ignition when the driver refused to hand them over. Brown and others allegedly started to remove items from the truck, some of which did not belong to Brown, and reportedly damaged some items that belonged to others.

A police spokesman had said in a telephone interview on Tuesday night that officers investigating the case attempted to speak to Brown that day, but he locked himself in his home and refused to speak to the officers.

"Mr. Brown is part of our investigation," Hollywood Police Department spokesman Christian Lata said on Tuesday night.

The NFL, which is investigating Brown for previous allegations by two women of rape, sexual assault and sending threatening text messages, declined to comment on Tuesday through a spokesman. Brown has denied the accusations and has filed a counterclaim against one of the women. He already was facing a possible suspension without pay by the NFL under its personal conduct policy.

Brown played only one game this season before being released by the New England Patriots in September. Teams appeared wary of signing him after the league said following his release by the Patriots that it would consider putting him on paid leave via the commissioner's exempt list if he were to be signed.

Brown met with NFL investigators, and those investigators recently had been attempting to speak to potential witnesses who might be able to corroborate what Brown told the NFL, according to a person with knowledge of the case. It is not clear when the NFL will complete its investigation and make a disciplinary ruling. The league's investigation could be extended by Tuesday's incident.

Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, filed paperwork last week with the NFL Players Association to terminate his representation of Brown. That severing of the business relationship between Rosenhaus and Brown was not to become official until this week, following the five-day waiting period required by NFLPA rules. Rosenhaus reportedly wrote to the NFLPA that he was interested in continuing to work with Brown, but only if Brown sought help for his off-field issues.

The move by Rosenhaus came after an incident between Brown and Hollywood police earlier last week. The police department announced that its athletic league was returning a donation by Brown following a profanity-filled outburst, posted on social media, that Brown directed at police officers and the mother of his children outside his home.

Late last month, Brown had a workout with the New Orleans Saints but was not signed, leading him to characterise it as a publicity stunt.

He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection with the Pittsburgh Steelers before being traded to the Oakland Raiders last offseason. He never played a regular season game for the Raiders and was released, at his request, before the season.

That came after Brown was fined by the Raiders after a practice-field verbal confrontation with General Manager Mike Mayock. Earlier, he missed time because of injuries to his feet suffered while undergoing cryotherapy treatments and because of two failed grievances against the NFL seeking to be permitted to wear a helmet not up to the safety standards of the league and NFLPA.

Brown was signed by the Patriots but released after one game. He is seeking, through grievances filed through the NFLPA, to force the Raiders and Patriots to pay him approximately $40 million in voided contract guarantees, unpaid salaries and fines.

WASHINGTON POST