I just never understood this sort of craziness.
Pitt basketball player Yuri Demetris was arrested early yesterday morning after an altercation at a woman’s apartment in Oakland.
Demetris was arraigned and charged with two counts of burglary and one count of simple assault. He will have his preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. Thursday at Pittsburgh Municipal Court.
Demetris, a senior guard who has started all 14 games for the nationally ranked Panthers (12-2), was suspended indefinitely from the team.
Demetris twice entered the apartment of Rebecca Emmers, 21, without her permission. Emmers described Demetris as an ex-boyfriend, according to a University of Pittsburgh police report.
Demetris forced his way through Emmers’ bedroom window at midnight. The alleged victim heard noises in the bedroom and found Demetris there, at which time she told him to “get out.”
Demetris, a 23-year-old graduate of Shaler Area High School, became argumentative with her. She said she would call police if he didn’t leave, at which time he pushed her and left the apartment. He returned at 1:45 a.m., entering again through the bedroom window. He was physically and verbally abusive toward her and struck her in the chin with a closed fist and left the scene again.
According to the police report, the victim had redness on her chin. She did not have to go to the hospital and declined a protection-from-abuse order. She was asked if she wanted to prosecute Demetris three times and responded “yes.” Campus police arrested Demetris at the Bouquet Gardens apartment building on Oakland Avenue.
Coach Dixon has Demetris suspended indefinitely from the team, and I’m not sure how he can let him rejoin the team after this. I do agree with Dixon in trying to get him support and help needed. Clearly he needs it. Still, this program had some major problem players at the end of the Willard era, and I don’t think anyone in the Pitt basketball program wants to even come near that kind of controversy again.
I mean, jeez… What do you say? What can you think? He’s a senior. He’s 23, not some young kid with a dodgy past that the school ignored. To this point, there were no stories out there about Demetris having these kind of issues. But he broke into an ex-girlfriend’s apartment. That alone just crosses too far over to the disturbed and scary zone.
