As former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez sits behind bars facing murder charges, new details have emerged about the football player’s violent past, and one that includes legendary former Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow, reports The Wall Street Journal.
According to a 2007 police report, Hernandez was getting himself into trouble long before he was a household name. Just months after he began playing football at the University of Florida, Hernandez got into a fight at a restaurant near campus called The Swamp, a local bar and grill that features framed jerseys of former Florida stars. According to the report, a 17-year-old Hernandez ordered two alcoholic drinks, and when it came time to pay the bill, he claimed that he hadn’t ordered the drinks and refused to pay for them. He got into a verbal altercation with the restaurant employee who delivered the bill, Michael Taphorn. A resolution was unable to be reached and Hernandez was escorted out of the restaurant by Taphorn. Hernandez told police that Taphorn “got in his face” and began yelling at him. As Taphorn turned to walk away, Hernandez punched him in the head, bursting his right eardrum.
His name wasn’t included in the official report, but a police spokesperson said Tim Tebow “was a witness and tried to defuse the situation before it became physical.”
“Tebow was concerned that his name would get out to the media as being involved in the incident,” said an officer investigating the incident, D.H. Rowe. “I assured him that we would not contact the media, and that he was being listed in the report as a witness only.”
Hernandez was not arrested for the incident, but the Gainesville Police Department recommended a charge of felony battery given the severity of the victim’s injury. However, it is not clear how the situation was resolved.
Hernandez was arrested last week in connection to the murder of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd and is being investigated in the shooting deaths of two men after an altercation at a Boston club. Hernandez pleaded not guilty and was denied twice for bail. The former football star was released by the Patriots and is being replaced by Tebow himself.