HOUSTON – A senior defensive back for the University of Houston has been indefinitely suspended from the team following his arrest last week for assault on a 60-year-old man.

Ka’Darian Smith, a reserve cornerback for the Cougars, was arrested Nov.6 and charged with a second-degree felony for aggravated assault with serious bodily injury following an alleged attack on Thaddeus Lewis, according to court records.

“We are aware of the serious allegations regarding Ka’Darian Smith,” University of Houston said in a released statement. “He has been suspended indefinitely from the Houston football program. We will have no further comment at this time.”

According to court records, when police officers arrived at the ICON Apartments at 2509 Elgin, they found the victim with severe facial injuries and bleeding profusely. Lewis, who was taken to the hospital, had broken bones in his face, a broken nose, cracked ribs and bleeding in the ear canal.

Smith, 21, was not at the scene initially but returned and was arrested. Court records show that Smith confessed to injuring Lewis, telling officers, “I beat him up.” 

The victim told officers he was approached by Smith in the garage and Smith accused him of stealing from his apartment. Lewis said he went down a stairwell and Smith again accused him of stealing. That is when Lewis said he was attacked as Smith punched him in the face several times until he fell, then Smith began kicking in the upper body until the victim blacked out, the court documents said.

Smith appeared in court on Nov.7 and was released on a $20,000 bond. 

Smith, who is from Spring, has primarily been a reserve during his four years at UH. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound senior has played in just four games this season and has not been played since Sept. 28 against North Texas. He has just nine tackles on the season. 

Smith is set to return to court next month and must have no contact with the victim.
 

 

 

HOUSTON – A senior defensive back for the University of Houston has been indefinitely suspended from the team following his arrest last week for assault on a 60-year-old man.

Ka’Darian Smith, a reserve cornerback for the Cougars, was arrested Nov.6 and charged with a second-degree felony for aggravated assault with serious bodily injury following an alleged attack on Thaddeus Lewis, according to court records.

“We are aware of the serious allegations regarding Ka’Darian Smith,” University of Houston said in a released statement. “He has been suspended indefinitely from the Houston football program. We will have no further comment at this time.”

According to court records, when police officers arrived at the ICON Apartments at 2509 Elgin, they found the victim with severe facial injuries and bleeding profusely. Lewis, who was taken to the hospital, had broken bones in his face, a broken nose, cracked ribs and bleeding in the ear canal.

Smith, 21, was not at the scene initially but returned and was arrested. Court records show that Smith confessed to injuring Lewis, telling officers, “I beat him up.” 

The victim told officers he was approached by Smith in the garage and Smith accused him of stealing from his apartment. Lewis said he went down a stairwell and Smith again accused him of stealing. That is when Lewis said he was attacked as Smith punched him in the face several times until he fell, then Smith began kicking in the upper body until the victim blacked out, the court documents said.

Smith appeared in court on Nov.7 and was released on a $20,000 bond. 

Smith, who is from Spring, has primarily been a reserve during his four years at UH. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound senior has played in just four games this season and has not been played since Sept. 28 against North Texas. He has just nine tackles on the season. 

Smith is set to return to court next month and must have no contact with the victim.
 

 

 

A 29-year-old man charged with three counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of a woman and her two teenage children in Ajax, Ont., is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

Police said they were called to a home on Hilling Drive, near Westney Road South and Lake Driveway West, at around 11 a.m. Wednesday by a woman who went to check on her female friend. When she went to the door, a man refused her entry before he left the area in a vehicle.

When police arrived on the scene, they found a 15-year-old boy dead. Later, police said the boy’s 39-year-old mother was also found dead in the home.

WATCH: Durham Regional Police say they’ve arrested a 29-year-old male from Ajax in connection with the homicide investigation

READ MORE: 3 killed in domestic-related case in Durham, male suspect charged: police

A 13-year-old girl was found with serious injuries. She was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to a Toronto trauma centre in life-threatening condition where she later died of her injuries.

Ajax is located about 45 kilometres east of Toronto.

Police said a third sibling who lives at the home was at a friend’s house when the incident happened and was unharmed.

The victims have been identified by police as Krassimira Pejcinovski, her son Roy and daughter Venallia.

Investigators believe the male suspect, identified as Cory Fenn, was in a relationship with the woman found inside the home.

Police said a vehicle used by the man to flee the scene was later found abandoned near Brock Road and Highway 401. He was arrested Wednesday night in Oshawa.

The president of a Toronto minor hockey organization said Roy Pejcinovski was a star goalie with the major bantam Don Mills Flyers.

Peter MacInnis said Pejcinovski’s death is a “tremendous loss” for the team, which is in the city finals to qualify to represent the Greater Toronto Area for the provincial championship.

“It’s tough for the players on the team, the parents, the staff – he was a great kid,” MacInnis said. “And his buddies on the team are 14 or 15, how do you deal with that?”

MacInnis said the teen was a top player, who had promising prospects in next year’s Ontario Hockey League draft.

The Don Mills Flyers are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Bantam goaltender Roy Pejcinovski. Roy was an outstanding goalie, teammate, and above all person. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pejcinovski family at this time. An official release will be posted tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/1jKzE3Nl3T

— Don Mills Flyers (@DMFlyersAAA) March 15, 2018

“On behalf of the Don Mills Flyers Organization, our entire team, the players, their families and our coaches, we want to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Roy, Krissy, and Vanna Pejcinovski,” the Don Mills Flyers said in a statement released on Thursday.

“We are heartbroken to have lost, so suddenly, three members of our extended family. Our focus right now is on supporting our team as they deal with this devastating loss.”

The team’s Friday night game has been cancelled, but they will hold a practice on Saturday where grief counsellors will be brought in.

The male suspect is scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing on Thursday.

Anyone with information is being asked contact Det. Horrocks or Det. McDermott of the Major Crime Homicide Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5418.

— With files from Nick Westoll and The Canadian Press