Officer Robert Capouellez was listed in serious condition Saturday night at the UT Medical Center with a head injury. Witnesses told police that Capouellez attempted to break up a fight and was hit in the head and knocked to the ground. At that point, a suspect "kicked the officer several times before fleeing the scene."
Sophomore safety Darren Myles Jr. was arrested for assault, resisting arrest and evading arrest, while freshman wide receiver Da'Rick Rodgers was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Myles was subsequently dismissed from the football program.
Meanwhile, the university is investigating whether UT players received extra benefits in the form of not having to pay a cover charge at Bar Knoxville. The owners of the club indicated in interviews shortly after the incident that players were allowed in without a cover charge, which could be an NCAA violation.
One of the co-owners of the bar disputes that the players were receiving extra benefits, saying that no cover charges applied to some non-athletes as well.
"It's really irritating because they're making us out to be the bad guys," Sandy Morton told the News-Sentinel. "We've got somewhere between 200 and 300 people that we consider VIPs that aren't athletes. All ladies are considered VIPs, which only means they don't have to pay a cover charge.
"The VIP is nothing that has anything to do with UT athletics."
Regardless, Morton said they're "done with" VIP treatment for known athletes.
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