Florida WR Chris Thompson charged with misdemeanor battery (dating violence)

By Adam Silverstein
April 9, 2015

Florida Gators junior wide receiver Chris Thompson was charged with misdemeanor simple battery (dating violence) by Gainesville police for an incident that occurred with his former girlfriend on April 1.

According to the arrest report from the Gainesville Police Department, Thompson and the alleged victim “were in an intimate dating relationship that ended approximately four months ago.”

Thompson allegedly “scratched” the victim’s “neck and arms, causing lacerations” when he tried to retrieve his phone from her after she took it away during an argument about a text message he received from another woman.


The charge against Thompson were first reported by The Gainesville Sun‘s Robbie Andreu.

Thompson has missed a couple of Florida spring football practices since the incident though no reasoning for his absence was previously disclosed by head coach Jim McElwain. On Thursday, McElwain said he has been “excused” from the team (not suspended) until the situation is resolved.

“Chris obviously had an incident here sometime last week. He’s dealing with that and has been excused from what we’re doing right now until it’s resolved. That’s kind of how we’re dealing with it. We’ll find out as it goes forward, find out what goes on with it,” he said.

The player’s charge is the first legal incident to occur under McElwain since he was hired in December 2014.

8 Comments

  1. MAR says:

    Not smart by Chris to be so aggressive in retrieving his property. However, if she took his phone against his will and would not return it upon request, that is stealing. She should have been charged too. If these Gainesville police are going to be so nit-picky and “by the book” with athletes, they should not be hypocrites and follow through with the general public as well. The fact that she technically stole his property should help him out With the potential charges. What’s with this Jetpack thing when I try to log in?

  2. Ken (CA) says:

    Who is Chris Thompson? Sad blemish on Gators, but the name isn’t even familiar, has he done anything at all? Is he redshirt person? We have stunk at receiver for years, maybe just boot him for the new receivers coming in

  3. cline says:

    I could be wrong here but the article about this on the gainesville sun website says he was never arrested. just a sworn complaint filed.

    • Outside of the last line (which I just adjusted – good heads up) I did not refer to it as an arrest either. “Arrest report” is the type of report that was written by the GPD. But I do not think you can be charged with something without being given a written arrest, so it’s really a moot point.

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