The Detroit Lions today released linebacker Trevor Bates, who was arrested in January.
Bates, 25, was arrested around 1:30 a.m. Jan. 26 at a hotel near LaGuardia Airport after allegedly refusing to pay a $32 cab fare for a ride from Manhattan.
Police have said they were ready to let Bates go with an appearance ticket if he didn’t have any outstanding warrants, but that Bates refused to be fingerprinted and punched a sergeant in the face.
Sgt. James O’Brien, who was hit as he tried to calm Bates down, suffered a concussion and needed three stitches over his left eye, police said.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Bates was subdued with a stun gun and taken to a hospital.
He was arraigned Feb. 5 from a psychiatric ward, pleading not guilty to charges of assault, resisting arrest, theft of services and obstruction of governmental administration.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.