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Article published Feb 5, 2004
UF FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Police kept busy on touted recruit's visit
Willie Williams apparently left a few things out of the weekly diary he wrote for a South Florida newspaper concerning his official recruiting visit to Florida last weekend.
Williams, the highly recruited linebacker from Miami Carol City High, had three sworn complaints filed against him after his weekend in Gainesville.
Two complaints were filed by the University of Florida Police Department and the third by the Gainesville Police Department.
On Wednesday, Williams signed with Miami.
"Sure it concerns us," Miami coach Larry Coker told The Associated Press regarding the complaints. "We'll look into it, we'll see what the attorneys say and we'll see what all the allegations are out there."
Florida coach Ron Zook, at his National Signing Day news conference, preferred to talk about the players who chose UF, but he did address the issue.
"Obviously, when we bring a student-athlete on campus, I'm responsible," Zook said. "We talk to our players, and from what I understand our players did a great job."
Asked if there was anything he would have done differently concerning Williams, Zook said, "Yeah, not bring him in."
The first incident occurred at 10:55 p.m. on Friday on the second floor of the Reitz Union on the UF campus. According to the UPD report, a female student was returning to the first floor after buying sodas and popcorn with her boyfriend. While the couple waited in the elevator lobby, she heard someone say, "Damn, you're good looking." As she turned to look, a black man approached her, grabbing and hugging her from the front.
She did not recognize the person and began to push away but he would not let go, according to the UPD report. When he finally did, the female told the person he was being disrespectful, to which he replied, "Who do you think you are? You're a dime a dozen."
Her boyfriend told police that one of the people with the suspect said: "He's a new recruit. Don't do this."
On Sunday, the female student identified Williams from a photo lineup, a sworn complaint for battery was filed and a trespass warrant was issued to Williams for all of campus that went into effect at the end of his recruiting visit.
Williams told police on Saturday night "that is how they do things down in Miami," according to the UPD report.
Williams was at the UPD station because of another incident that occurred at the Hilton Conference Center about 4 a.m. Saturday.
A UPD officer was dispatched to the hotel because a fire alarm went off on the fourth floor. There was no fire, but three extinguishers had been discharged in the hallway. The floor was evacuated and exhaust fans were brought in to clear the floor of extinguisher residue, according to the UPD report.
A witness told the officer that she saw two large black men running through the hall and that one was discharging the fire extinguishers while the other tried to stop him.
According to the UPD report, Williams acknowledged he discharged the extinguishers and was issued a sworn complaint for preventing or obstructing fire extinguishment, which is a felony.
The third alleged incident occurred early Saturday morning at the Royal Blue Night Club on NW 13th St. According to the GPD report, Akeem Thompson of Gainesville said someone began punching him for no apparent reason.
Thompson was treated at Shands Hospital for bruises on his cheek and a lacerated lip. The victim said he lost his watch, necklace and $200 cash during the fight.
Williams was interviewed at UPD and admitted hitting the victim. He was also identified by the victim and a witness from a photo lineup and a sworn complaint was issued for battery.
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