Bulldogs freshman facing misdemeanor family violence charge

Cam Mcdowell, a freshman guard, was arrested Feb. 25 and booked into Athens-clarke County Jail on a charge of criminal trespass/interference with property/family violence. He was taken into custody at Athens-clarke County Jail at 6:24 p.m. the day before the Bulldogs’ home game against Florida and released on a cash bond four hours later. The charge is considered a misdemeanor.

Georgia coach Tom Crean said he was aware of Mcdowell’s arrest and that “it has already been handled.” The 6-foot-5 guard has not played in the past two games.

According to police, Mcdowell showed up at the on-campus residence of an ex-girlfriend at 11:55 p.m. Feb. 23 to retrieve belongings he claimed she had taken from his dorm room. The woman refused to answer the door. A short time later, a rock struck and broke a window at the front of the residence.

The woman said Mcdowell immediately apologized via text and said he didn’t mean to break the window, but was merely trying to get her attention. Mcdowell offered to pay for the damaged window.

Mcdowell had left by the time police arrived at 12:35 a.m. Feb. 24. He was contacted by UGA Police later that morning at his residence hall and interviewed. Mcdowell told police that he and the woman had been dating for about six months and that she lived with him “off and on” for about four months. That’s why it became a family-violence investigation.

Mcdowell did not play against the Gators or against Tennessee on Tuesday, the Bulldogs’ most recent game. He has played in only six of the Bulldogs’ 29 games this season, averaging 6.8 minutes per game and a total of seven points.