Texas A&M linebacker Josh Walker arrested on domestic assault charge

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COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M junior linebacker Josh Walker was arrested Friday on charges of assaulting his girlfriend and then interfering with her call to 911, according to the Brazos County sheriff's office.

An A&M spokesman said Walker has been suspended immediately per A&M athletic department policy. As of early Saturday evening Walker was being held in the Brazos County Detention Center on $9,000 bond.

According to a probable cause statement obtained from the College Station Police Department, Walker's longtime girlfriend accused him of assaulting her in their apartment on Friday afternoon. The couple also has a young child who was present but wasn't a part of the assault, CSPD corporal Matthew Alaniz said.

After CSPD received a 911 call on Friday afternoon, according to the statement "dispatch advised they could hear a woman crying on the line and the same woman was telling someone to 'get off of her.' According to dispatch there was 'sounds of hitting' and 'sounds of a struggle.' The woman sounded hysterical over the phone, with dispatch hearing a male subject commenting how she 'complains about him hitting her.'

"The call continues with the sounds of more struggling and arguing. The phone call was disconnected shortly after that."

Texas A&M junior linebacker Josh Walker was arrested late Friday night on a domestic assault charge. Texas A&M junior linebacker Josh Walker was arrested late Friday night on a domestic assault charge. Photo: Brazos County Sheriff's Office Photo: Brazos County Sheriff's Office Image 1 of / 53 Caption Close Texas A&M linebacker Josh Walker arrested on domestic assault charge 1 / 53 Back to Gallery

Also as part of the probable cause statement, the alleged victim detailed what she said took place in their home prior to the call.

"... An argument started which resulted in the defendant throwing things in the apartment," the statement read. "She said during the course of the argument, the defendant pushed her to the ground using both of his hands/arms. (The victim) fell onto a child's rocking horse, causing her left hip to bruise and swell.

"The defendant admitted that he pushed (the victim), but that her feet were crossed which is why she fell onto the rocking horse. The defendant was subsequently arrested for (assault, family violence) as they were dating, had a child together and were residing together. The defendant was also charged with interference with emergency call."

In that instance, according to the probable cause statement Walker taunted his girlfriend with their cell phones:

"(The victim) said during the course of an argument, she was assaulted by the defendant. After the assault took place, she attempted to place a 911 call on her personal cell phone. While she was dialing 911 on her phone, the defendant 'snatched' the phone out of her hands saying that 'she was not going to call (the police).'

"Shortly after, the defendant sarcastically told (the victim) to use his phone to call the police, and gave her his phone. (The victim) said she was able to dial 911 and press send before he snatched that phone from her as well. Unknowing to the defendant, the connection with 911 was already made, and the subsequent conversation was heard/captured by dispatchers."

Walker started four games at middle linebacker as a freshman in 2014 and a lone game last season. He has 45 tackles over two seasons with A&M. The Aggies are in the middle of camp in preparation for their Sept. 3 opener against UCLA, and Walker is in the mix for playing time at linebacker this season.

Walker was a U.S. Army All-American at Gilmer High School in 2013. It had been a relatively quiet offseason for the Aggies under coach Kevin Sumlin, with no known arrests outside of receiver Speedy Noil for driving without a license in early April.

brent.zwerneman@chron.com

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