Major League Basketball player Odúbel Herrera has been arrested at the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
Visible injuries
Herrera was put under arrest by police on the night of May 27 at the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. According to the police, he roughed up his 20-year-old girlfriend during an altercation in the casino. Casino staff called the police to attend the incident.
According to the Atlantic City Police Department, the incident took place on Herrera’s day off, and the woman had visible injuries on her neck and arm. Police said she had “hand print markings to her neck area and small scratches to her arms.”
Herrera was in his hotel room when the police arrived and arrested him for assault. They said he also knowingly caused bodily harm.
Shortly after his arrest, Herrera was released. He is due to appear in court on June 17, the same day his team is set to face the Washington Capitals in Washington DC. Following news of his arrest, the MLB put the Philadelphia Phillies center fielder on administrative leave.
Herrera, a 27-year-old from Venezuela, has been playing for the Phillies since 2015. He was an All-Star selection in 2016 for his performances. Between 2008 and 2014 he was part of the Texas Rangers farming system.
The Philadelphia Phillies issued a statement on Herrera’s arrest: “This morning we were made aware of an alleged incident involving Odúbel Herrera. Upon receiving this information, we immediately reported the incident to Major League Baseball, which has informed us that Herrera has been placed on administrative leave. The Phillies take any domestic violence accusation seriously, and strongly support the Joint Domestic Violence Policy agreed upon by MLB and the MLBPA.”
Calls for his dismissal
After the news of Herrera’s arrest broke, many people called for his dismissal from the Phillies. While this looks like a likely move, the team will have serious depth issues as a result. They would likely have to trade for another outfielder if they let Herrera go.
There was a similar incident a few years ago involving an NFL player. Ray Rice, a running back with the Baltimore Ravens for six seasons, was put under arrest and then indicted in March 2014. During his time with the Ravens, he won a Super Bowl and three Pro Bowl selections (including two second-team All-Pro selections).
Rice assaulted his fiancée in an elevator. Video footage of the incident went viral – it shows Rice knocking her out and dragging her unconscious body out of the elevator.
When the video footage was made public, the Baltimore Ravens dismissed Rice in September 2014. The NFL also put him under an indefinite suspension. However, Rice appealed this decision on a federal level, winning his case. He is eligible to play in the NFL again but no team has since gone near him.
Eventually, in 2018, Rice admitted his NFL career was over. He also sued the Ravens for $3.5m worth of back pay that he claimed he was owed in the last 15 weeks of the season after he served the two-game suspension. The two parties came to a settlement on this issue.