Four football players arrested after party brawl

Tucson Police Department officers arrested four UA football players after a fight at the home of five UA students early Friday morning.

“We are taking this matter seriously. We are cooperating fully with the Tucson Police Department, and disciplinary action will be handled accordingly. Due to federal student-privacy laws we will have no further comment,” UA Athletic Director Greg Byrne said in a press release.

According to police reports, sophomore cornerback Jourdon Grandon, sophomore offensive tackle Fabbians Ebbele and sophomore offensive lineman Eric Bender were arrested on charges of criminal trespassing in the first degree and assault, and sophomore safety Jared Tevis was arrested on trespassing charges.

TPD officers responded to an assault call as well as reports of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, officers saw a white Lincoln Navigator speeding westbound on Speedway Boulevard after driving away from the home. A man and several women were chasing after the car, screaming and shouting.

Officers entered the home and began questioning the residents. The first student who officers spoke to said they were “having a party with some of their friends,” and Tevis was the only football player who had been invited. Tevis entered the home with four other members of the team.

According to police records, residents asked Tevis and the other players to leave because they were not invited. One of the men responded by shoving one of the women backwards. The man was later identified as former safety Joshua Robbins. After being shoved, the resident slapped Robbins, who then proceeded to punch her in the face — starting a brawl between the football players and members of the party.

The players left after the brawl, but before leaving said, “We will be back with our homies.” A short time later, the players returned “in a group of between 10 and 30,” and a man later identified as sophomore offensive tackle Fabbians Ebbele forcibly entered the home and “began punching everybody he could reach,” according to the report, including the resident who was initially assaulted and her brother.

People at the party told officers the UA players entered the home and began assaulting male members of the party while several women attempted to stop another fight from happening. One woman was pushed up against the wall by Robbins. Robbins continued to push other female guests and residents.

Members of the party identified Grandon after he “punched a female guest in her face with a closed fist and began punching other females in the face.” Tevis was also present during the altercation but none of the victims observed him assaulting anyone.

When officers saw the Navigator speeding away from the house, they pulled the car over to the side of the road for a “high risk” stop. Everyone inside of the car, which included Tevis, Robbins, Grandon, and Ebbele, was removed from the car, along with junior defensive tackle Justin Washington, who was not charged in the incident.

All occupants were questioned by police. Bender, Ebbele and Washington told officers that they were “sitting at home when they were called by one of their friends, saying that he was jumped by a bunch of people.”

All occupants of the car denied that they had been in any physical altercation, but said they were at the party and saw people they knew “when a fight broke out,” at which point all six players left in the SUV.

After all players were identified by attendees of the party, Robbins was transported to the Midtown Substation for a DUI investigation. The other passengers in the car were released. Once that investigation concluded, Robbins also was cited and released.

Two of the residents of the home told police they were seeking to press charges, but as of this time, no further action has taken place.