News
Former Bobcat Violates Terms of Judicial Release
By: Joe Higgins | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
A former Ohio University football player sentenced to two years in prison for attacking a fellow student has violated the terms of his community control by not paying restitution.
Christopher Tarrant, 21, of Hamilton, pleaded guilty in May of last year to felonious assault and was sentenced to two years in prison. In December, he was granted early judicial release. Part of the conditions of Tarrant's release was that he pay restitution in the amount of $8,929.23 to Evan Clark, of Germantown for medical expenses from injuries he caused.
In the early morning hours of June 1, 2012, Tarrant was walking near Alden Library when he attacked Clark, beating him to the point where Clark would suffer a detached retina and had to be treated for the injury at several hospitals. The prosecution claimed alcohol was a factor in Tarrant's behavior.
In July of this year, the Athens County Prosecutor's Office filed a notice of violation of judicial release claiming Tarrant had not been making the $350 per month payment in restitution as agreed upon. Tarrant had only made two payments of $150 and $100 respectively. Assistant Prosecutor Tim Warren asked that Tarrant's underlying sentence of prison time be imposed.
In a first stage hearing on the allegation held last month, Tarrant admitted to violating the terms of his judicial release. The court ordered that he pay $150 per month or, at the very least, $100 per month. The court also scheduled a six-month continuance for a second stage hearing to ensure Tarrant makes his payments.
Should Tarrant continue to violate the agreement, the balance of his two-year prison sentence could be imposed by the court.
Tarrant was a running back for the Bobcats but after the attack on Clark, he was removed from the team and expelled from Ohio University.