Just hours before game time Saturday in Erie, Pa., where he was sent to play with the Erie SeaWolves during rehabilitation, Detroit Tigers pitcher Roman Colon was arrested on a felonious assault charge.
Mr. Colon, a Tigers pitcher who was playing for the Toledo Mud Hens early last month while rehabilitating from neck surgery, is charged in the June 12 assault of a Hens teammate at Fifth Third Field.
He is accused of punching pitcher Jason Karnuth, who apparently was trying to break up an argument between Mr. Colon and other players in the Mud Hens' clubhouse.
Yesterday, Mr. Colon's attorney, Spiros Cocoves, filed a request in Lucas County Common Pleas Court asking that bond be set in his client's case. Judge Stacy Cook set bond at $50,000 and continued the case for arraignment July 10 before Judge Gene Zmuda.
Because Pennsylvania officials would not release Mr. Colon while he had an active warrant for his arrest, Judge Cook withdrew the warrant yesterday, noting that Mr. Colon already posted bond in the case.
Mr. Cocoves couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.Toledo police Sgt. Tim Noble said people living out of state who face local charges typically are transported to Lucas County before bond is set. "It's an unusual step that someone would get a bond without getting extradited back," he said. "Most people don't have the means to do that."
Mr. Colon, a right-handed pitcher, faces up to eight years in prison if convicted.
The Tigers suspended him for seven days for his role in the incident, and he has since continued his rehab assignment with the SeaWolves.
Mr. Karnuth, 31, is recovering from surgery last week to repair the multiple facial fractures he suffered in the altercation.
The argument that led to the altercation reportedly stemmed from a dispute over loud music on Mr. Colon's iPod before the June 12 game. The incident sparked a change in policy concerning music in the clubhouses of the Tigers' minor league affiliates.
All Tigers minor leaguers must wear headsets if they want to listen to music before or after the games, a rule that was only in effect for the major league team before the Mud Hens' clubhouse incident.
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