Detroit Lions' Linebacker Arrested For Punching Officer

NEW YORK (AP) - The Detroit Lions linebacker, Trevor Bates, was arrested Saturday in New York on charges that he failed to pay a taxi then punched a police officer.

The officer suffered a concussion due to the assult.

Bates faces charges including assault, resisting arrest, theft of services and obstructing governmental administration after police were called around 1:30 a.m. to a hotel near LaGuardia Airport, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Bates, 25, was taken to a police precinct house for refusing to pay the $32 yellow taxi fare from Manhattan to the Hampton Inn in Queens, the prosecutor said.

Bates, originally from Maine, is being held pending arraignment. It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.

At the precinct house, Bates was told that as long as there were no outstanding warrants, he would receive only a desk appearance ticket and be allowed to leave, Brown said. The prosecutor said Bates refused to be fingerprinted and became increasingly agitated.

As Sgt. James O'Brien tried to calm him down, Brown said, the athlete punched him in the face and was hit with a stun gun to subdue him.

O'Brien suffered a concussion and needed stitches over his left eye, according to the prosecutor. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Bates was taken to a hospital in Queens for evaluation.

The Lions' general manager, Bob Quinn, said in a statement that the team is aware of Bates' arrest but has no further comment for now.

If convicted, Bates faces between probation and up to seven years in prison.

Bates is in his first season with the Lions, appearing in nine games.

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