A former Utah Utes running back is in some serious trouble after being arrested.
Former Utah running back Tavion Thomas has been charged with three felonies, per The Salt Lake Tribune. He reportedly caught these charges for allegedly threatening a girlfriend with a knife. Thomas allegedly took away her phone and car keys and told her she would be “dead before the police arrive” if she contacted authorities.
Thomas was arrested on three felony counts of domestic violence on April 5th. Count 1 is listed in court documents as “aggravated kidnapping in the course of committing unlawful detention”. Counts 2 and 3 are for “aggravated assault.”
Thomas is being held at the Salt Lake County jail without bail and is scheduled to next appear in court on April 21st.
In a drastic change of events, his girlfriend appeared in court Tuesday and argued for his release from jail, saying he needs treatment for bipolar and borderline personality disorders.
“He mainly needs to get back into his counseling — anger management, therapy — and get back on his medication. But I do not believe he is a danger to me,” she said, per The Salt Lake Tribune. “I don’t believe with my mind, body, and soul that he would hurt me purposefully. I just know with the conditions he suffers with he can’t control it sometimes.”
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Thomas started his collegiate career at Cincinnati in 2018 and saw action in 12 games during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He spent the 2020 season at Independence Community College before transferring to Utah for the 2021 season.
These most recent charges mark the third time Thomas has been accused of being “violent or a threat to women” in the last six months, per police reports.
