Elliott denies assault claim
Former Ohio State star not arrested in wake of woman’s accusations.
A woman accused former Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott of assault, according to two reports filed with the Columbus Police Department on Friday.
According to one report, the woman claims she was assaulted by Elliott, who she said was her former live-in boyfriend, at 2:35 a.m. Friday while sitting in the driver’s seat of her parked vehicle in a parking lot on West Third Avenue in Columbus. The police talked to four witnesses in the parking lot, and all said they did not observe an assault.
Elliott, who now plays with the Dallas Cowboys, denied assaulting the woman, according to the report, and denied he ever lived with her. The woman told police she had pain in her right wrist and a red mark but declined medical treatment.
Because of conflicting statements from the woman, Elliott and the four witnesses and the inability to prove Elliott and the
woman lived together, the woman was referred to the prosecutor’s office, according to the report. Elliott was not arrested.
Elliott’s dad, Stacy Elliott, released a statement to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.
“The reported allegations and internet postings regarding our son are completely false,” Stacy Elliott wrote. “Ezekiel has done nothing wrong. The police have investigated this matter and eyewitnesses have verified the lack of any wrongdoing.
“The actual evidence in this matter clearly indicates what the real motivation was behind the police being called. We are confident that when the truth comes to light it will reveal the falsity of these claims. Ezekiel has been fully cooperative with the police and will continue to do so — along with cooperating with the NFL — moving forward.”
According to reporter Mike Leslie of WFAA in Dallas, a Cowboys source told him Elliott has messages on his phone proving the woman was trying to set Elliott up.
Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported a source told him Elliott “broke off the relationship and the alleged victim said she would ruin him if he did.”
The woman also posted photos to Instagram of her injuries and tagged Elliott in the post.
In the other report, the women claims Elliott struck her several times between 7 p.m. July 16 and 11:59 p.m. July 20, leaving bruises on her arms. In that report, the woman told police she lived with Elliott for three months within the past year.
Elliott told police he never touched the woman in a harmful manner, according to the report, and that her bruises were from a bar fight. Elliott said he never lived with the woman but did pay her rent and was a co-signer on her vehicle. The report states that due to conflicting versions of the events that took place between July 16-20, the victim was referred to the prosecutor’s office.
Elliott, 21, finished his career with the Buckeyes last season and was the fourth player selected in the NFL draft in April.
An NFL spokesman told ProFootballTalk.com the league will investigate the situation.