Lions Release Guard Rodney Austin After Arrest For Two Assault Charges
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Guard Rodney Austin has been released by the Detroit Lions, the team announced Tuesday morning.
The online booking records of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office in Charlotte, North Carolina, show Austin was taken into custody Friday on four misdemeanor charges: assault on a female, assault on a child under 12, interference with emergency communication, and misdemeanor larceny.
Austin was later released on $2.250 bond.
The sheriff's office has issued the following press release about Austin's arrest:
"On Sunday, April 5, 2015, at approximately 2:20 a.m., South Division patrol officers responded to a domestic violence assault call for service in the 600 block of Cameron Forest Lane. Upon arrival officers spoke to the victim who advised that she had been pushed to the floor by Mr. Austin while she was holding their infant child. The victim further stated that Mr. Austin prevented her from calling 911 by damaging and taking her phone from her. There were no signs of injury to the victim or the child. The victim was advised by officers how to obtain warrants on Mr. Austin since there were no signs of injury and the incident did not occur in in the presence of officers.
"On Thursday, April 16, 2015, the victim went to the Mecklenburg County Magistrate's Office and obtained warrants for the arrest of Mr. Austin. On Friday, April 17, 2015, Mr. Austin turned himself in to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. He has been charged with Misdemeanor Assault on a Female, Misdemeanor Larceny, Interfering with Emergency Communication and Misdemeanor Child Abuse."
Austin, 26, has spent most of the last three seasons on the Detroit practice squad. The Lions originally signed Austin in 2012 as an undrafted rookie free agent. In each of the last two years, he spent the last few weeks of the season on the active roster, but he played in only one game in 2013 and none in 2014.
The Lions now have only two guards on their roster: starting right guard Larry Warford and Darren Keyton, whose NFL experience is limited to part of last season on Detroit's practice squad. Rob Sims, who started last season at left guard for the Lions, is still a free agent.
