In this photo, Tim Tebow #15 of the Florida Gators speaks with Aaron Hernandez #81 during the game against the Troy Trojans at Ben Hill Griffin arenaon September 12, 2009 in Gainesville, Florida. A police plowsays Tebow actto keep Hernandez out of a bar appointmentin 2007.(Photo: Sam Greenwood, Getty Images)
Tim Tebowtryto keep Aaron Hernandez out of trouble during a 2007 bar bustlewhile both were playing at the University of Florida, butnoteven the mild-mannered, Bible-toting quarterback could keep the hot-headed tight end from slugging a Gainesville, Fla., restaurant manager and puncturing his ear drum.
Still, after Tebow's efforts failed, it appears the school kinghave gotten Hernandez off the hook by reaching a settlement with the manager to keep him from pursuing charges, according to aadjuvantinvestigation report on the altercation obtained by regular armystraightawaySports.
Hernandez, a 17-year-old freshman at the clipwho had not even played a down for the Gators, got into an causeover an unpaid tab for two drinks, according to an hazardreport obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Hernandez was not of legaldrinking age.
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The report verbalizea waitress at The Swamp Restaurant brought Hernandez the drinks, which he consumed before refusing to pay the bill. managing directorMichael Taphorn confronted Hernandez, then asked him to leave. Outside the bar, Hernandez told police, Taphorn got into his face. When Taphorn turned to re-enter the bar, police verbaliseHernandez hit him on the side of the head.
According to the report, Hernandez did not deny throwing the punch.
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The original incident report lists Tebow andas "Witness 1," thathis identity has been verified to USA TODAY Sports by Gainesville Police Department spokesman Ben Tobias and the supplemental report. Tebow, according to the supplemental report, "was concerned that his name would get out to the media as beinvolved in the incident," and that's why he was anonymously listed as a witness.
The incident took place around 1 a.m. ET on April 28, and Hernandez left the area immediately after the altercation. When a responding officeholdercould not locate him, the officer interviewed Tebow, who sayhe tried to resolve the problem, according to the supplemental report. Tebow expresshe urged Hernandez to countenancepeacefully and tried to make arrangements to pay the bill. Later, when police interviewed Hernandez, Tebow was present.
Taphorn declined present(prenominal)medical treatment, but when he was examined the next day by doctors, they discovered that his right ear drum had been broken, an injury that would lift outfour to six weeks to heal, the incident report said.
Curiously, police said Taphorn was adamant about pressing charges when he first speakto officers, but when police followed up with Taphorn, he told them "that hewhitethornrequest the charges be dropped," an detectivewrote in the supplemental report. He added: "Taphorn did state that he had been contacted by legal staff and coaches with UF and that theywhitethornbe running(a)on an agreement. However, nothing is finalized."
"I advised him that if this was his netdecision that he would have to contact the State Attorney's office," the investigator wrote.
Athough police recommended a felony assault charge against Hernandez, a freshat the time, no charge was lodged.
TANIER:
When reached by USA TODAY Sports by phone Tuesday, a man who said he was Michael Taphorn said, "I think you have the wrong person," but a database has a phone turn of eventsfor him that matches a contact number on the police report. That number is no longer his, but the same report did have his current phone number. Taphorn denied working at the restaurant.
When asked to respond about the possibility that the school reached a settlement with Taphorn, UF spokesman Steve McClain released the following statement:
"No one from the university's general counsel's office was involvedin this manner,'' he said.
Hernandez, now 23, has been charged with the murder of Lloyd, a 27-year-old, semipro football player. Hernandez, who has pleaded not guilty, is being held without bail in a Massachusetts jail. Connecticut and Massachusetts authorities said Tuesday that Hernandez also is being investigated in connection with a July 2012 doubledhomicide in Boston.
Contributing: Rachel Axon
PHOTOS: The Aaron Hernandez case
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Materials taken from USA Today
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