KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Bar brawl charges against Vols freshman wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers are being dismissed.
A misdemeanor resisting arrest charge was dismissed Tuesday, and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge will be dismissed on October 27.
Rogers is ordered to perform 16 hours of community service for the disorderly conduct charge and pay court costs. He doesn't have to appear in court in October.
An off-duty Knoxville policeman, a UT police officer and another man were assaulted during the incident at Bar Knoxville in July.
Police also charged another Vol, freshman defensive back Darren Myles, in the incident. He was kicked off the team the next day. Sophomore linebacker Marlon Walls and sophomore linebacker Greg King were suspended for nearly a month, then reinstated.
Rogers was never suspended.
Rogers released a statement through his attorney, Don Bosch, that says in part, "Now that the investigation is complete and I am able to comment, I would like to make it clear that I did not participate in any kind of fighting and did not assault any police officer or any other person during the events of July 9, 2010."
His statement goes on to say that he wasn't fighting or drinking and he tried to leave when other people started fighting.
"As I was heading for the exit, a bouncer sprayed pepper spray directly into my face for no reason."
Rogers says as he walked toward his car he was "grabbed from behind by several people." He says he didn't know some of them were officers until he was being handcuffed, and he never intended to resist them.
Rogers is a 6'3", 215 pounder from Calhoun, Georgia. He set a Georgia state record with 1,641 receiving yards as a senior in 2009.
Da'Rick Rogers
