Last Updated on July 18, 2007 3:25 pm by admin
LONG BRANCH, N.J. (AP) -Rutgers assistant football coach Chris Demarest entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to a charge he assaulted his girlfriend in a bar.
Demarest waived a scheduled appearance in Long Branch Municipal Court. A trial date has not been set, according to municipal court administrator Theresa Woods-Coyne.
Demarest’s lawyer, John Azzarello, did not return a phone message Wednesday.
Demarest was arrested early Saturday after police responded to a call from an upscale bar-restaurant at the Jersey shore. According to police, an off-duty detective witnessed the altercation between Demarest and the woman, who has not been identified.
Demarest was seen grabbing and pushing the woman, and he was later escorted outside by security. Police officers described the woman as having bruises and abrasions on her arms.
The 42-year-old Demarest, who was released on bail of $2,500, has been the defensive secondary coach at Rutgers for three years. In March, he was promoted to assistant head coach, the second-ranking assistant to coach Greg Schiano.
Before coming to Rutgers, Demarest was defensive backs coach at North Carolina State from 2000-2003 and a graduate assistant at Florida State from 1998-99.
Schiano did not comment on Demarest’s arrest Wednesday. He released a statement Tuesday saying he would reserve judgment until he collected all of the information in the case.
Rutgers players are scheduled to report for practice on Aug. 2. The Scarlet Knights are coming off their best season in school history, which included a 9-0 start, No. 7 ranking and a 37-10 win over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl.