Aggravated assault charge filed against former TCU player by Tarrant County DA
FORT WORTH, Texas - A former TCU football player has been officially charged with aggravated assault by the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office following his arrest in connection to a locker room incident before the team's season began.
Jacob Fields charged
Jacob Fields, 21 (Tarrant County Jail)
What's New:
On September 23, the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office charged former TCU safety Jacob Fields with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.
The complaint states Fields "did intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, cause serious bodily injury to Dozie Ezukanma by hitting Dozie Ezukanma with his hand and/or kicking Dozie Ezukanma with his foot."
The backstory:
The charge stems from an August 13 incident within the TCU football locker room. A heavily-redacted incident report characterized the altercation as an aggravated assault involving hands, feet, and fists.
The names of the suspect and victim in the incident were not listed in the report, but the Athletic later reported that Fields was the suspect, and wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma later identified himself as the victim in a social media post.
Dozie Ezukanma (CTSY: TCU Athletics)
Arrest documents for Fields obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and reviewed by FOX 4 state Ezukanma spent three days in the hospital with a brain bleed and a concussion following the incident.
Ezukanma and other witnesses told investigators that Fields hit him in the head from behind, causing Ezukanma to fall to the ground unconscious. Witnesses stated Fields kicked Ezukanma in the head while he was on the ground.
Fields later apologized to Ezukanma in a text message, and witnesses believed the altercation stemmed from Fields' frustration over his performance at football practice.
TCU dismissed Fields from the team on August 18, five days after the locker room incident.
PALO ALTO, CA - AUGUST 30: A detail view of a football helmet of the TCU Horned Frogs on the sidelines at Stanford Stadium during an NCAA college football game against the Stanford Cardinal on August 30, 2024 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Califor
Fields turned himself in to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office on August 30. Philip Miller, a PM3 Sports agent who represents Fields, posted a statement in part that read:
"My athletes and I understand the difference between right and wrong. We believe in drawing a hard line, standing up for yourself, and standing for something—because if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. I stand with Jacob, and I will not waver."
The Source: Information in this story comes from the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office and previous FOX 4 reporting.