Malcolm Beyah

A former MTSU football player was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend before dawn Monday at an Empress Drive residence after allegedly pushing her to the ground in an attempt to prevent her from leaving with his car.

Twenty-two-year-old Malcolm Beyah, who was a senior wide receiver with the Blue Raiders during the 2011 season, has been charged with domestic assault, according to a Murfreesboro Police Department arrest report.

Beyah was taken into custody soon after police responded to reports of a domestic disturbance, which resulted in his car being rammed into a nearby vehicle, Sunday just before midnight in the parking lot of The Summit Townhomes complex.

As a result of the incident, Beyah suffered a laceration to his left leg and his girlfriend sustained a “long scrape down her side.” However, both declined medical treatment when officers arrived at the scene.

“Due to physical evidence of injuries and damage to the vehicle, and statements made by (the victim, a witness) and Beyah,” Officer David Kelch reported, “I determined Beyah to be the primary aggressor, as he repeatedly re-engaged into a physical assault in moments he could have chosen to remove himself from what started as an argument and an alleged assault on him.”

The incident occurred only three days after Beyah made national headlines for his successful showing during MTSU’s Pro Day – an event that gives NFL scouts a chance to watch college athletes practice and workout.

Although Beyah has not officially been drafted just yet, he has already scored interviews with a few NFL teams, including the Atlanta Falcons.

The Georgia native told police he was never in fear for his safety, however, “Beyah advised that both he and (his girlfriend) had consumed alcohol” prior to the altercation, Kelch reported.

Beyah’s 22-year-old girlfriend, who is also an MTSU student-athlete, has not been charged in connection with the incident. As such, The Murfreesboro Post does not publish the names of domestic violence victims.

Kelch reported that when he arrived at the scene, Beyah’s girlfriend said he “pushed her down twice and began hitting her as he exited the car.”

“She advised she was able to get away from him long enough to get into the driver’s seat of his car,” he reported. “She advised the door was still open and they struggled over the gear shifter as she attempted to reverse the vehicle and escape, (and) that somehow, the vehicle reversed and struck another parked vehicle, pushing it up and over a sidewalk.”

A witness told police the altercation abruptly ended when Beyah’s car struck the unoccupied vehicle, according to the report.

“(The woman) advised she was outside and saw (Beyah’s girlfriend) crying and trying to get into the car,” Kelch reported. “She advised (Beyah) leaned out of the car and pushed her before getting back in the driver’s seat.”

As his girlfriend attempted to get into the car again, the woman said Beyah stepped out and “threw her down to the ground, where it looked like he may have been hitting her,” Kelch reported, adding the woman said she then yelled at Beyah to stop before she entered her apartment to call police.

While she was inside on the phone with emergency dispatch personnel, the woman said she heard a loud noise, prompting her to look out the window, at which point she saw Beyah’s vehicle had struck another car, according to the report.

When Assistant Athletic Director Mark Owens was informed Wednesday about the altercation, and subsequent arrest, he said the university had not been notified about the incident.

“This is the first we have heard about this,” Owens said, during an interview with The Murfreesboro Post. “This is a shock. This caught us by surprise.”

However, Owens did confirm that Beyah, who is expected to graduate in May, is no longer on an athletic scholarship.

“He is paying his own way this semester,” Owens said, adding Beyah could possibly face disciplinary action through the university because the incident involved two students.

“Yes, he could face repercussions with Judicial Affairs,” he said. “But, until there is more information, we will not comment on this.”