UM's York allegedly broke man's jaw with punch

8/12/2014

ANN ARBOR - Csont'e York, a sophomore wide receiver on the Michigan football team, allegedly punched and broke the jaw of another man in an incident July 18 outside of a bar in Ann Arbor.

In an Ann Arbor Police Department report obtained today by The Blade through a Freedom of Information Act request, it stated that York struck John Lavoie-Mayer outside of Scorekeepers on 315 Maynard Street.

A witness, Gabriel Pogilano, told police that "John was jaw jacking. All the sudden, the guy [Csont'e York] just came up and cold-clocked John. John then fell to his left side and hit the cement."

In an interview with Ann Arbor police, York said he had been drinking "very little" and that when he walked out of Scorekeepers, he and a group were standing and talking to people and that he was bumped. During a verbal altercation, another male approached Michigan teammate Da'Mario Jones, then bumped him.

"I got nerves and scared about the situation so I hit the guy," York said, stated in the police report.

York also told police he was trying to defend Jones. Jones told police that York threw a punch, and that "we ran away because we were scared. I think those guys were trying to antagonize us because we were athletes and knew we could not do anything."

Video of the incident obtained through the FOIA request shows York, wearing a wide-brimmed fishing hat, throwing a punch and leaving the scene. He and Jones were arrested and taken into custody at 5:47 a.m. July 18, though there are no charges pending against Jones. York, 20, also registered a blood-alcohol content of .057.

Lavoie-Mayer’s mother told Ann Arbor police by telephone that her son sustained a broken jaw in three places, had plates put in and had his jaw wired shut.

Michigan announced York's indefinite suspension from the team on Aug. 3. Michigan coach Brady Hoke said in a statement that York failed to meet "team standards."

York will be arraigned in Washtenaw County 15th District Court at 9 a.m. Aug. 22 on three counts: one count of aggravated assault and two counts of assault or assault and battery.