UF sophomore cornerback Jacques Rickerson was arrested early Tuesday morning on charges of domestic battery by strangulation and obstruction of justice by the Gainesville Police Department.
The arrest was made at Lexington Crossing Apartments, and Rickerson was later booked at 7:51 a.m. on felony charges.
When Rickerson was asked to leave the residence, he became upset and struck the victim on the side of her face, according to the arrest report. Rickerson then went on to use his hand to choke the victim around her throat and then when the victim called for help, Rickerson pushed her face deep into a mattress and covered her face with a pillow, according to the report.
When Rickerson let go of the victim, he then blocked her exit out of the room and would not allow her to call the authorities as he was holding her cell phone, the report stated.
The victim sustained visible injuries to her arm, neck and upper chest, according to the report.
The report said Rickerson and the victim had been dating for over a year.
Rickerson is a backup cornerback and has played sparingly this year after coming in as a four-star cornerback, according to Scout.com
"Jacques Rickerson is no longer part of our team - that is not what our program is about," UF coach Urban Meyer said in a statement. "My focus and our team's focus is with the players who are part of the program and preparing for the Vanderbilt game."
