FLORENCE — An argument over a female Monday evening left a local man hospitalized and a University of North Alabama football player arrested and dismissed from the team.
Khadedryck Todd, 23, 1301 Appleby Boulevard, Florence, has been charged with first-degree assault in connection with the case.
Todd is accused of assaulting a 21-year-old Florence man after a verbal altercation.
Police said the incident occurred just before 7 p.m. in the parking lot of a convenience store at the intersection of Pine Street and Chisholm Road.
Detective Sgt. Greg Cobb said when officers got to the business, they found the victim laying in the parking lot suffering from injuries to his head.
“According to witnesses, the victim and a man identified as Todd were inside the business and began to argue,” Cobb said.
He said after the argument, witnesses said the two men left the business and started fighting in the parking lot.
Police said witnesses reported Todd hit the victim in the head, knocking him to the ground.
“Apparently, the victim was knocked out, and laying there,” Cobb said.
Authorities said Todd walked away, got into his car, then got back out and walked back to where the victim was laying and started “kicking, stomping and hitting” him again, according to reports.
Police said Todd then went home to his apartment.
Police arrested him a short time later on a traffic stop on Pine Street.
Cobb said the victim was flown to Huntsville Hospital.
According officials with the UNA Athletic Department, Todd was a starting offensive lineman last year and projected to start this year.
Athletic Director Mark Linder said the university was made aware of the situation Tuesday by law enforcement. He said Todd has been “permanently removed from our football program.”
Todd, who is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, signed with UNA in 2017 after playing two seasons at Jones (Mississippi) Community College.
He is in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bond of $50,000.
First-degree assault is a Class B felony and is punishable by 2-20 years in prison, if convicted.