Davis charged with battery
By Katie Quaintance, campus editor
Anthony Davis, University of Wisconsin sophomore and starting running back for the Badgers, endured a stab wound to the leg and was faced with a misdemeanor battery charge within three days.
The stab wound occurred early Sunday morning when Davis and his girlfriend, UW student Tiffany Spears, got into a fight at his apartment. The fight ended with Spears grabbing a knife and stabbing Davis in the thigh.
Davis’ expected first court appearance falls on Nov. 14, two days before a game against Michigan. With three games left in the Badger season, it remains unclear whether Davis will play in any of them.
Steve Malchow, UW assistant athletic director for communications, articulated the current position of the UW Athletic Department concerning Davis’ eligibility to play.
“His innocence or guilt will be determined by the justice system,” Malchow said in a statement. “The UW Athletic Department will allow that process to run its course. Any discipline or punishment, if justified, will come later.”
Davis told police the fight started when Spears arrived at his apartment Sunday morning. According to Davis, he had told Spears he wanted to end the relationship; when he asked Spears to leave the apartment, she began throwing objects including cologne bottles, a boom box and a cell phone at him.
Police reported that Davis then punched Spears in the face, after which she found the knife on the floor and proceeded to stab Davis.
Spears told police that Davis hit her face and head, bit her and attempted to physically throw her out of the apartment. At this point, Spears reported, she attempted to stab him with a butcher knife; when Davis wrestled it from her hands, she grabbed a smaller knife from the floor and stabbed him.
UW senior Angie Olson, who was acquainted with Spears, expressed surprise at her involvement in the incident.
“She’s really nice, very sweet and outgoing,” Olson said of Spears. “She doesn’t seem like someone who would do that.”
As a result of the incident, Davis was charged with misdemeanor battery Tuesday morning. If convicted, he could face up to nine months in jail.
Spears, charged with the felonies second-degree recklessly endangering safety and aggravated battery, could be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in jail.
