UT freshman DT sought in robbery
Andre Jones is 5th Texas player accused of crime in last two months
01:07 AM CDT on Friday, August 3, 2007
By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected] AUSTIN – For the fifth time in the last two months, a Texas football player is being accused of a crime.
Highly recruited UT freshman defensive tackle Andre Jones was charged Thursday with the same aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon that resulted in charges being filed against former Texas safety Robert Joseph on Saturday.
Toni Chovanetz, an Austin Police Department spokeswoman, said Jones is expected to turn himself in and is considered a fugitive until he does. Bond was set for Jones at $40,000.
Jones, a Parade All-American who turns 18 today, graduated early from El Paso Andress to enroll at Texas in January and go through spring drills. He couldn't be reached for comment. It wasn't immediately clear who would represent him in the case.
"We're in complete shock, and I think the folks at Texas are, too," said Andress defensive coordinator Dusty Meitler, who coached Jones in high school. "Andre was a captain on our team and a leader. He went to class around the clock to graduate early.
"His mother is a truck driver, and he didn't come from much. He really wanted to make a life for himself. So this is a total shock."
Texas football spokesman John Bianco said school officials were aware of an arrest warrant for Jones and were trying to gather more information before making any public statement.
Joseph, 19, was dismissed from the Texas team and announced plans to transfer after being charged with two felony counts of burglary of a vehicle last month. He remains in the Travis County Jail on $25,000 bond after being arrested last Friday and charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
Austin attorney Jamie Balagia, who is representing Joseph, said, "I think Robert will be all right once the whole story is told."
If convicted of the first-degree felony, both Jones and Joseph face five years to life in prison.
According to arrest warrants, Joseph and Jones entered an apartment in east Austin around 2:30 p.m. last Friday. Joseph allegedly pointed a gun at the occupants, including a 14-year-old boy. Jones repeated Joseph's demands and reached into his waistband for something chrome and acted as if it was a gun, according to the warrants.
The men allegedly stole cash, cellphones and gaming equipment. The occupants of the apartment were able to identify Jones in a silver Dodge pickup and get a partial plate number from the truck, according to the arrest records.
Jones (6-5, 295) went through spring drills and received positive reviews from senior defensive tackle Derek Lokey.
Last week, Lokey told reporters at Big 12 media days that Texas players had formed a leadership group to meet with younger players on the team to strengthen chemistry.
"Last year, I don't think the older guys on the team did as good a job as we should have getting to know the younger guys," Lokey said. "A lot of times the older guys move off campus and don't get to know the young guys as well. So we're trying to make sure we're all on the same page."
The Missouri basketball team had a player shot in the ankle during a nightclub disturbance and another dismissed for allegedly hitting someone in the head with the handle of a gun. As a result, Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel has imposed a rule that none of his players can be in a nightclub or bar later than 9 p.m.
Oklahoma State sophomore linebacker Chris Collins faces a pretrial hearing Aug. 20 on charges he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in 2004. Three OSU basketball players and a football player also have had brushes with the law this summer.
Oklahoma basketball coach Jeff Capel has dismissed two players from his team, one for a run-in with the law.
TEXAS TROUBLES
Over the last 15 months, seven Texas players have had run-ins with the law. In some cases, charges were dropped. Five times in the last two months a UT player has been accused of a crime. Here's a look:
May 2006: Sophomore running back Ramonce Taylor charged with possession of four pounds of marijuana. Sentenced to 60 days in jail. Taylor transferred to Texas College in Tyler, where he was academically ineligible. Declared for the NFL draft in 2007 and went undrafted.
Sept. 2006: Cornerback Tarell Brown, linebacker Tyrell Gatewood and former linebacker Aaron Harris charged with misdemeanor drug possession, and Brown charged with misdemeanor unlawful gun possession. Harris takes blame for the marijuana found when the three were pulled over by police. The drug charges against Brown and Gatewood were dropped. Gun charge against Brown remains.
March 2007: Tarell Brown charged with misdemeanor drug possession after being pulled over in a car driven by his cousin. Charges dropped against Brown when his cousin takes blame for the marijuana found in his car. Brown's lawyer provides documents saying Brown passed a drug test after his arrest.
June 1: Junior defensive end Henry Melton charged with driving while intoxicated.
June 9: Sophomore safety Robert Joseph charged with two felony counts of burglary of a vehicle. Dismissed from the team and announced plans to transfer.
July 28: Joseph charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in connection with a break-in on July 27.
July 28: Sophomore linebacker Sergio Kindle of Woodrow Wilson charged with driving while intoxicated.
Aug. 2: Highly recruited freshman defensive tackle Andre Jones charged with the same aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon (July 27) that resulted in charges against Joseph.
