Tampa Bay Buccaneers Corner Back Arrested for Battery Charges

NFL News - August 21st, 2009 - Written by Ryan Smith

Another NFL football player was arrested this summer, when Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner back Aqib Talib, was arrested Thursday night. Talib was charged with simple battery and resisting arrest, both charges are misdemeanors for allegedly assaulting a Tampa cab driver. According to an Arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol, Talib Punched a cab driver in the ear and neck on his right side, sometime after 11 p.m. Wednesday evening. Another police report from the Pinellas County, FL, Sheriff's office, stated that the 23-year old Talib was arrested early Thursday morning by the Florida Highway Patrol. Talib was later released on a total of $300 bail some time around 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

The 47-year old cab driver, Davis Duggan, responded to the attack in the St. Petersburg Times stating, "It was like someone hit me upside the head with a hammer, he hit me so hard he knocked my hat off my head." Duggan remembers picking up the men outside Nova 535, a St. Petersburg venue that often hosts personal parties, and charged the men a fee of $50 for a ride to a local Hotel in Tampa, Florida. According to the Florida Highway Patrol police report, Talib was asked by police officers three times to vacate the vehicle, and all three times he did not cooperate.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers General manager, Mark Dominik, has already contacted the NFL's league office in regards to the sudden arrest. ESPN reports Dominik had these comments of the issue, "It's unfortunate certainly what happened last night, I've been in contact with the league office and this falls under the personal conduct policy. Certainly whatever decision is made, the commissioner's decision supercedes everything." Mark Dominik also commented on his disappointment for Talib, "Aqib is a very outgoing, outspoken young man, He certainly needs to mature a lot more. That's what I'll say."

Aqib Talib was the 20th overall selection in the first round for the Buccaneers franchise in the 2008 NFL draft. Mark Dominik does not expect to give up on the young defensive stopper out of Kansas University, telling ESPN "What we're trying to do is to try to help him. It may not seem like it's worked, but we're going to continue to work with him, If he needs counseling, we'll get him counseling. We're going to work and try to catch his attention." Coach Raheem Morris, said Talib did not practice for obvious reasons, but he will play in Saturdays preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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