Arrest Warrant Issued For Aldon Smith After Alleged Domestic Violence
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF & AP) – The San Francisco Police Department has obtained a warrant for the arrest of Aldon Smith and the Oakland Raiders have released the troubled star linebacker after an alleged domestic violence incident over the weekend.
The team made the announcement via Twitter.
Former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio took to Twitter moments later, not to condemn Smith's alleged actions, but to criticize the NFL for not offering more help for troubled players like Smith.
Smith, who is currently suspended by the NFL for past legal woes, has reportedly entered rehab following the alleged domestic violence incident.
San Francisco police said Monday afternoon that their Special Victims Unit has obtained a warrant for Smith's arrest.
San Francisco police spokesman Sgt. Michael Andraychak said, "The charges listed on the warrant are: willful infliction of corporal injury (domestic violence), assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and vandalism, all misdemeanors. The Department is working with Mr. Smith's legal counsel to arrange a day and time for Mr. Smith to surrender himself and to be processed for the warrant."
Smith's fiancée told TMZ Sports that she was the alleged victim in the incident and that her parents took the football player to rehab for a substance abuse problem.
"I wish the BEST for Aldon. And I'm scared for his life with his addiction. I cannot comment on the altercation but I can tell you I love him and so happy he turned to my family who considers him family and hopefully he gets the help he truly needs," she told TMZ Sports.
Police had been searching for the linebacker since the incident, which authorities said took place at a home on the 600 block of Bush Street in San Francisco Saturday evening, around 8:30 p.m.
During a 911 call of the incident, a dispatcher is heard saying "[The victim is] yelling, 'I'm going to call the police.' Subject says her ex-boyfriend is beating her up. She says the guy's name is Aldon Smith."
The victim gave the dispatcher additional details about the assault and said that Smith left the apartment while she was on the phone.
Smith allegedly left the home before police arrived. The victim suffered injuries that are not considered life threatening.
The former star linebacker has been on the suspended list since November 2015 for violating the NFL's policy on substance abuse. The Raiders had signed Smith to a two-year contract before the 2016 season, but he never was cleared by the league to be able to return from suspension.
Smith was one of the league's top pass rushers before off-field problems derailed his career. He set an NFL record with 33½ sacks his first two seasons after being drafted in the first round by the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.
He helped the Niners make it to the NFC title game as a rookie and the Super Bowl the following year. But the off-field issues started mounting the following season when he missed five games to undergo treatment at an inpatient facility following a DUI arrest.
Smith was then suspended the first nine games in 2014 while serving an NFL suspension for violations of the league's substance abuse and personal conduct policies. San Francisco then released him in August 2015 following his fifth run-in with the law regarding another drunken driving arrest.
He signed with Oakland just before the start of the 2015 season and had 3½ sacks in nine games before being suspended again for at least one year.
Smith applied for reinstatement to the NFL in 2016, but that decision was initially deferred until the offseason and he never was granted reinstatement.
Smith has played 59 games over five seasons in the NFL with 47½ sacks and one first-team All-Pro honor in 2012.
© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
