Gambrell's arrest preceded dismissal from Ohio State football team

Gambrell no longer part of OSU team

1/17/2012

DerJuan Gambrell

Jay LaPrete

COLUMBUS -- DerJuan Gambrell was arrested on misdemeanor assault charges seven days before Ohio State announced it had dismissed him from its football program.

Rogers graduate Gambrell, a freshman defensive back, was booked Jan. 8 at Franklin County Jail on misdemeanor charges of assault, menacing, and unlawful restraint after campus police responded to an incident at an on-campus dormitory. Gambrell was released the following evening on his own recognizance. A pretrial is scheduled for Feb. 15.

A police report on the incident was not available Monday because OSU's records department was closed for the holiday.

Gambrell, known to many by his nickname Peewee, redshirted last season and has four seasons of eligibility remaining. OSU released a statement Sunday stating coach Urban Meyer dismissed Gambrell from the program for a "violation of team rules." Meyer also kicked off defensive back Dominic Clarke who has been charged with drunken driving.

Given his forthcoming legal obligations, Gambrell likely will not enroll at another institution until the summer at the earliest. He may be forced to sit out next season to satisfy NCAA rules if he attends another Division I school. Gambrell would be eligible to play immediately for a program in a lower division.

"I hope that he's able to move forward from this and to move past Ohio State and move past problems that he's had in Toledo," said Eric Browning, Gambrell's track and field coach at Rogers.

Gambrell was named All-Ohio in football at Rogers. He finished third in the 400-meter race at the Division I state track and field meet.

Contact Ryan Autullo at: rautullo@theblade.com, 419-724-6160 or on Twitter @RyanAutullo.