A 21-year-old University of Colorado football player was arrested Friday night for allegedly assaulting two 19-year-old college students at a party, police say.
Riar Geer, a starting tight end, was booked into the Boulder County Jail for investigation of second-degree assault and harassment, said Sarah Huntley, Boulder police spokeswoman.
Geer was the second high-profile CU football player arrested for second-degree assault on Friday.
High School All-American Lynn Katoa, who enrolled this semester, turned himself in to police earlier in the day.
A fight broke out outside a party at 18th and Cascade streets after 11:30 p.m. Friday when Geer allegedly knocked a hat off a man’s head.
Geer, a junior who is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 255 pounds, and several other men argued. Geer allegedly punched Hunter Wright and Alexander Williams, both 19-year-old CU students, who started bleeding from their mouths.
Williams was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries to his mouth and teeth. He was treated and released. Wright declined medical treatment.
“It’s extremely frustrating and embarrassing,” CU Athletic Director Mike Bohn said Saturday of the incidents. Bohn said the university has brought in psychologists and other specialists to talk to players about their role as campus leaders and how to avoid conflict. He said the university will step up those efforts.
The university’s football coach, Dan Hawkins, said in a statement Saturday that “I do not condone our players engaging in this kind of conduct.”
Players face consequences
Geer, a redshirt sophomore, has been suspended from all football-related activities, including practice, until the legal system and CU’s Office of Judicial Affairs have completed their review, Hawkins said.
David Plati, spokesman for the CU football team, said Katoa, who is a freshman, is also suspended but will be allowed to practice.
The future for both players depends on what happens in court, he said.
CU Chancellor G.P. “Bud” Peterson said in a statement that the university has completed several reforms the past three years and does not wish to see those efforts undermined by a few students.
In 2006, Geer became the first freshman to lead CU in receiving after catching 24 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Geer was named on the freshmen All-America teams for The Sporting News and , according to a CU roster profile.
An earlier assault case
The second CU player, Katoa, 18, turned himself in Friday in connection with the alleged assault of another CU student in an off-campus apartment on Feb. 16.
Witnesses claimed Katoa came through a door of the apartment yelling. He allegedly pushed one victim’s head into the wall and hit him in the forehead while holding a rock in his fist, police spokeswoman Huntley said.
Katoa then allegedly punched a second victim in the head.
The first victim was taken to the hospital and needed stitches. The second victim declined to pursue charges.
Katoa, a linebacker from Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City, picked Colorado over Oklahoma in December after being visited by seven CU coaches. He is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
