Louisville WR Braden Smith Arrested, Charged With Assault
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville football junior wide receiver Braden Smith was arrested and charged with fourth degree assault and harassing communications, stemming from an incident early Sunday morning at Clubhouse Apartments just off campus.
According to the University of Louisville police report obtained by the Courier-Journal, Smith and the victim, his former girlfriend, “were involved in a heated argument when he grabbed her, dragged her to the apartment door, and threw her out into the breezeway in her bra and shorts.”
The victim suffered “cuts and abrasions to her forehead, face, back, arms and forearms.” She told police that she had broken up with Smith earlier in the week, and he had been harassing her by “leaving notes on her car and leaving lengthy voice messages on her phone.”
This came to a head when the victim went to Smith’s apartment Sunday morning to tell him to leave her alone, to which the discussion escalated and became violent.
“We’re aware of the incident involving Braden Smith over the weekend. Braden has been suspended indefinitely while we continue to gather more information,” a UofL spokesperson told the Courier-Journal‘s Cam Teague.
The 5-foot-10, 192-pound wide receiver entered the 2021 season as a starter, but only played in four games after suffering a season-ending knee injury before halftime of Louisville’s game at Florida State. He finished the year with 11 receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown, and was also a threat in the punt and kick return game.
The Flowood, Miss. native came to Louisville in 2020 as a JUCO transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College. In his first season with the Cardinals, he caught 27 passes for 370 yards, including a breakout 110-yard performance vs. Western Kentucky.
(Photo of Braden Smith: Jamie Rhodes – USA TODAY Sports)
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