Chris Solari

Detroit Free Press

EAST LANSING — Michigan State rising senior defensive end Demetrius Cooper was arrested in late November for a misdemeanor assault and battery charge, according to a police incident report and court files. The incident was first reported by the Detroit News.

Cooper was scheduled to have a pretrial hearing Thursday in East Lansing 54B District Court. Details were not yet available Thursday afternoon. He is facing a fine of up to $500 and a maximum of 93 days in jail or both if convicted.

Mark Dalen, an officer with East Lansing Parking and Code Enforcement (PACE), reported that he saw Cooper’s car parked illegally around 8:50 p.m. on Oct. 30 on Grand River Avenue near Abbot Road. Cooper said he had gone back inside a restaurant due to an incorrect order and was briefly parked along the road.

Cooper reportedly exited the restaurant and saw the officer issuing him a citation for impeding traffic, which Cooper accepted. The officer said Cooper began walking back to the restaurant and Dalen returned to his PACE truck to issue a second ticket.

The incident report said Cooper then approached the truck’s driver’s side window. Dalen said Cooper said he was “going to spit in your face, I should spit on you right now,” and then “spit a large amount of saliva” in his face. Cooper denied that he spit on the officer but said he did threaten to do so before returning to his vehicle and driving away.

A second officer stopped Cooper a short distance away. His vehicle was towed from the scene due to a driver’s license violation, according to the incident report. Cooper was arrested Nov. 30 at his apartment without incident and posted $500 bond.

The 6-foot-5, 253-pound Cooper was a starter at defensive end last season and projected to maintain the role this fall. The fifth-year senior had 23 tackles with 2.5 sacks last season and has played 38 career games for MSU.

Related:

Couch: Demetrius Cooper escaped Chicago, then waited his turn at MSU

Recruiting: Michigan State eyeing Cass Tech LB Square for 2018

Projected starter Thiyo Lukusa quits Michigan State football team

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!