Basketball head coach Rick Barnes suspended sophomore guard Martez Walker from the team early Friday morning for an alleged assault with injury, according to a statement released by the Texas basketball program.
According to UTPD spokeswoman Cindy Posey, UTPD was notified by an EMS page that a female subject was in need of medical attention at San Jacinto Residence Hall on Wednesday at 10:18 p.m. EMS advised that the subject was assaulted, Posey said.
Posey said UTPD officers searched the area and found the victim, a UT student. The victim stated that her boyfriend, who was later determined to be Walker, assaulted her at San Jacinto Hall, according to Posey. The victim was transported to St. David’s Medical Center for treatment.
A judge issued an arrest warrant for assault with injury/dating violence, which is a Class A misdemeanor. Walker turned himself in at the Travis County Courthouse around midnight Friday.
According to the arrest affidavit from Travis County Court, bond was set at $7,500.
In the affidavit, the victim said Walker assaulted her because he was upset she went out drinking with a male friend Wednesday. After returning to the dorm room later that night, Walker and the victim began to argue, and the victim hit Walker one time on the side of the face, saying she was “tired of this.”
The victim told police that Walker then hit her four times on her left side, dragged her by the arms and threw her out of the room, according to the affidavit.
When EMS personnel showed up after the assault, the victim told police that the left side of her body, around her ribs, “really hurt” and that she was having trouble breathing. The affidavit reports Walker was gone by the time UTPD officers arrived.
Walker played in 33 games last season for the Longhorns, averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He started just two games but played a key role on the team in his first year. He was expected to compete for time in the backcourt rotation this upcoming season.
Barnes released a statement Friday morning about the arrest. He said Walker is cooperating with police officials.
“We have consistently stressed to all of our student-athletes for a long time that any behavior in which women are not treated with respect will not be tolerated,” Barnes said. “Pending resolution, Martez [Walker] has been suspended indefinitely from our basketball program and will not participate in any team functions.”
On Friday morning, President William Powers Jr. released a statement from the University.
“Physical abuse and violence will not be tolerated at the University of Texas,” Powers said. “We take this allegation extremely seriously.”
Walker is currently one of three Texas athletes in trouble for off the field behavior. In late July, former football players Kendall Sanders and Montrel Meander were arrested for alleged felony sexual assault and both are currently awaiting their court hearings.
— Additional reporting by Garrett Callahan
