Updated at 2:35 p.m.
Florida Gators freshman quarterback Treon Harris is currently under investigation for a possible felony charge of sexual battery and has subsequently been suspended indefinitely from the program.
Though no details have been made available at this time, the University of Florida Police Department’s Crime Log lists a sexual battery incident as having been reported on campus at the Springs Residential Complex early Monday morning at 12:49 a.m. The Independent Florida Alligator‘s Jordan McPherson confirmed with the UFPD that the aforementioned incident is the one involving Harris.
Harris has neither been arrested nor charged with a crime at this time and “a source familiar with the situation” told Florida Today‘s David Jones that “evidence was ‘shaky at best'” with it being a “‘he said, she said’ situation.”
Florida sent out he following official statement at 1 p.m. on Monday:
University of Florida student athlete Treon Harris is accused of sexually assaulting a female student early Sunday morning in a residence hall on the UF campus.
The University of Florida Police Department is investigating the incident, and UFPD has brought in the Gainesville Police Department to assist with collection and analysis of forensic evidence.
The investigation is ongoing and we do not have an update regarding any charges at this time.
The University of Florida and the University Athletic Association are cooperating fully. …
UAA has suspended Treon Harris from all team activities.
“We have no tolerance for sexual assault on our campus,” UF President Bernie Machen said. “The university is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for every member of the UF community. We must strive to protect all of our students from sexual harassment and assault, and do everything in our power to promote a safe learning environment.”
Harris has retained Gainesville, Florida, attorney Huntley Johnson. “We are cooperating with the investigation,” Johnson told the Orlando Sentinel‘s Mike Bianchi. “He has not been arrested, and I don’t expect him to be.”
Jones reports that “the investigation will take several weeks.”
The investigation led the Gators to cancel its weekly Monday afternoon press conference with head coach Will Muschamp.
Harris, who took over for redshirt junior quarterback Jeff Driskel on Saturday, led Florida to a 10-9 win over the Tennessee Volunteers with the Gators scoring 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
He was expected to at least split quarterbacking duties with Driskel in this Saturday evening’s game at home against the LSU Tigers, though Muschamp made no such pronouncement during his post-game press conference on Saturday.
Muschamp has cleaned up the Florida football program since taking over in January 2011. Only one UF player has been arrested in the last 15 months – freshman cornerback Jalen Tabor (misdemeanor marijuana possession).
The Orlando Sentinel‘s Edgar Thompson first reported the specifics of Harris’s incident.
74 Comments