He was touted as an extraordinary college talent at Texas A&M and a shining star. They nicknamed him “Johnny Football” and predicted a record breaking career in the NFL.He snagged the Heisman Trophy and was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.
But … that was then. Before the high profile partying. Before the accusations of domestic abuse.
Johnny Manzeil’s demons have dragged him down from that symbol of all-American sports superstar. The Browns are set to sent him packing when the new league year starts on March 9th. And now there is a very real chance that he will go from behind center… to behind bars.
The Dallas Police department, Thursday, have forwarded their investigation into an alleged incident between Manzeil and his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, to the District Attorney to be presented to a grand jury, reports Yahoo Sports.
The “incident” took place at a Texas hotel in January. Crowley says she met up with Manzeil but by then end of the night he became violent.At one point, she says, he threw her into a car but she escaped and hid. She says he found her and hit her, claiming he beat her so badly that she lost hearing in her left ear. She filed an affidavit claiming Johnny told her to “shut up or I’ll kill us both”.
At the time, though, she reportedly refused to give a statement or press charges. The case was all but dropped.
Then, Crowley changed her mind. The case was investigated. She filed for and received a restraining order that (theoretically) would keep Manzeil from going anywhere near her for the next two years.
The offense he’s charged with, a class A misdemeanor change of domestic assault, carries a possible sentence of one year in jail or a fine of up to $4000 or both. One can argue whether that punishment is too light should the accusations be proven true. But there’s no arguing one point: Johnny Football’s shot at being an all-American sports superstar is finished.
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