Tavion Thomas, a former University of Utah student, has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly threatening his girlfriend with a knife, taking her phone and car keys and saying she would be “dead before the police arrive” if she told authorities. to call.
According to Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office records, Thomas was incarcerated at the county jail and is being held without bail.
He has been charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault and one count of felony aggravated kidnapping while committing unlawful detention, as well as a felony of interruption/interference of a communication device.
This is evident from court and police data obtained by the Salt Lake Grandstandthis is the third time in six months that Thomas has been accused of being violent towards or threatening women.
Thomas’s girlfriend appeared in court on Tuesday and asked for his release from prison. She said he needs help and treatment for both bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.
Ex-Utah RB Tavion Thomas has been charged with three felonies after an alleged assault
“Most of all, he needs to go back to his counseling — anger management, therapy — and get his medication back. But I don’t believe he is a danger to me,” she said.
“I don’t believe in my mind, body and soul that he would purposefully hurt me. I just know that given the conditions he suffers from, sometimes he can’t control it.”
However, prosecutors denied the request, arguing that he should be held without bail because his “violent conduct poses a serious threat to the current and future safety of his victims and the community as a whole.” They added that they believe he is at risk of fleeing to leave the state if rescued. Thomas’s next hearing is April 21.
The incident related to this case happened on April 4, when Thomas’s girlfriend said she would leave the house they shared after he allegedly pulled a knife. He took her car keys and said she was “going nowhere.”
After asking for her phone to call the police, Thomas reportedly replied, “You’ll be dead before the police arrive.” I’ll take your car and drive all the way there [Thomas’ home town of Dayton],” court documents revealed.
The girlfriend suggested going to bed, to which Thomas agreed. However, the woman said she could not sleep because Thomas had the knife next to him in bed.
The next morning, Thomas’s girlfriend was getting ready to leave the house and go to the airport, but he took her keys and phone again.
A roommate – who had overheard the previous night’s altercation – asked him to return the phone to her, but he refused. In the end, the roommate helped Thomas’ girlfriend escape.
Thomas goes through the NFL draft process where he is ranked as the No. 22 running back
Police arrested Thomas and charged him with aggravated kidnapping while committing unlawful detention and two counts of aggravated assault. All three counts are third-degree felonies in Utah and carry maximum sentences of up to five years in prison.
Thomas also has a case pending in Bluffdale – a suburb of Salt Lake City – on charges of harassment via electronic communications stemming from a January report on domestic violence.
In October, a witness told police they saw Thomas grab a woman while bar hopping in Salt Lake City and drag her next to a car. According to police reports, Thomas tried to force a girlfriend into his car, but the case was closed after the woman said she only had a verbal altercation with Thomas and nothing physical happened.
“Tavion vehemently denies the allegations in the information submitted by the state and maintains his innocence,” Thomas’ attorney Skye Lazaro and agent Jimmy Gould said in a joint statement.
“It is an important principle of our legal system that any person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” the statement continued.
Last season, he rushed for 687 yards and seven touchdowns—leading Utes in rushing yardage
‘The presumption is not just a formality, it is a matter of the most important content. It is unfortunate that the state made these allegations and held him without bail at a time when he is on the cusp of a career in the National Football League.
“Under the protection of the Constitution afforded to all, we ask that haste to judgment be withheld and that Tavion be able to fully exercise his rights to a fair trial.”
Thomas is currently going through the NFL draft process, where he is ranked the No. 22 running back in class and the 267th best overall prospect in the class, according to PFF.
Last season, he rushed for 687 yards and seven touchdowns—leading the Utes in rushing yardage. He also caught six passes for 43 receiving yards.