HOUSTON – University of Houston defensive lineman Carmello Dedric Brooks was arrested by university police Thursday afternoon after he allegedly assaulted a pregnant person.
Brooks, a sophomore from Katy, has since posted a $15,000 bond, records show.
UHPD has not released additional information about what led to his arrest, but court records show he allegedly assaulted the pregnant victim by picking her up and slamming her on the ground.
During his probable cause hearing, a hearing officer said the allegations involve the woman just finding out she was pregnant and Brooks allegedly squeezed her arms, slammed her to the ground and sat on her, pinning her to the ground. Officers allegedly noted visible injuries.
“We are aware of an incident involving a Houston Football student-athlete. We take all allegations of this nature very seriously and are gathering more information,” a UH Athletics spokesperson wrote in a statement to KPRC 2 News.
Brooks has not been part of the UH football travel squad due to his position on the roster.
Victim’s account
A woman who claims to be the alleged victim in Thursday’s assault contacted KPRC 2 News and claimed Brooks was not aggressive toward her whatsoever.
She explained they got into an altercation at his house while discussing her pregnancy, which she just learned about on Thursday. She said she wouldn’t leave his house, so he called 911 and picked her up and put her outside. Police noticed a bruise on her arm, she said.
Because he was wanted on an unrelated misdemeanor charge, she said police took Brooks into custody and she didn’t think he was going to get charged in her case.
“I was way too close to him, almost putting my hands on him,” she said.
She said they are no longer dating after investigators claim he slammed her to the ground, which she disputes, and knowing that a felony charge could “end his football career,” she said she would have “forever guilt … because he did not hit me whatsoever.”
Previous incident with pregnant woman
Court records show Brooks was charged in August for an incident involving a different pregnant woman and summoned to appear in court on Sept. 18.
In that case, Brooks allegedly visited the woman who he had a sexual relationship with to speak in person after she became pregnant but “the conversation escalated and he became verbally aggressive toward her.”
He then allegedly tried to leave with the woman’s keys but she pushed the door shut. Based on the way Brooks was holding the door, investigators wrote in records that the door handle partially detached from the door and the “damage appeared consistent with the door handle having been forcefully pulled inward.”
In that case, investigated by the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office, he was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and a warrant for his arrest was filed, but it does not appear he was taken into custody on that charge until UHPD arrested him on Thursday after the alleged assault of a pregnant person, one day before he was summoned to appear in court on the misdemeanor case.
KPRC 2 News has asked UH if it was aware of the criminal mischief charge and if that impacted his status with the team.
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