Justin Watkins, incoming freshman and four-star recruit of the UF football team, was in Alachua County jail Tuesday on four criminal charges.
The 19-year-old is facing two third-degree felony charges ‒ one for the kidnap and false imprisonment of an adult and the other for domestic battery by strangulation ‒ and two first-degree misdemeanor battery charges, according to Alachua County court records.
According to the July 20 arrest report obtained by WCJB Gainesville (TV20), Watkins struck a women with both open and closed fists, pinned her down on a bed and choked her multiple times. It also says he blocked the woman from his dorm-room door and restrained her until she sprayed him mace for self-defense.
Watkins remains in custody as of this report’s publishing.
Florida coach Dan Mullen suspended him from all team activities, according to multiple reports.
This is the second time in three months Watkins has faced criminal charges. He was arrested for trespassing in the parking lot of Ocala’s Vanguard High School in May, where he allegedly kicked a female student’s car and after he broke her phone.
Watkins was ranked the No. 89-overall recruit by 247Sports for the 2018 season.
Update 8/2: Justin Watkins is no longer with the UF football program. The announcement was made by Mullen at UF Media Day.
You can follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr or contact him at
mstine@alligator.org.
