Shocking: Current Alabama football player retires from football due to medical issues….
Tuscaloosa police have obtained two misdemeanor warrants against former Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs for second-degree cruelty to dogs or cats, according to a civil court filing Wednesday in Tuscaloosa county.
In his motion, Tuscaloosa county assistant district attorney Thomas Marshall wrote that Tuscaloosa animal control on March 28 found two dogs — a pitbull and a rottweiler mix — locked on a property rented by Buggs, who currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. Animal control seized the dogs and found them “severely malnourished, emaciated, neglected and the residence appearing to be abandoned,” Marshall wrote.
The pitbull was found “surrounded by feces with no access to food or water,” while the rottweiler mix was “locked in a metal cage in direct sunlight with no access to food or water.”
A neighbor told animal control the dogs had been on the back porch of the residence for at least 10 days, when Buggs was believed to have moved out of the home. On April 15, Buggs was served a notice of termination by the property owner after he owed more than $3,000 in unpaid rent. The property owner had previously pursued court eviction against Buggs in July 2022 and June 2023.
The pitbull was later euthanized by the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter because of aggressive behavior and a failed heartworm treatment, according to the court filing. Marshall asked the court for an animal protection hearing and ex parte order placing the surviving dog in the custody of the animal shelter. The filing also noted the police investigator obtaining the pair of warrants against Buggs.
Buggs’ agent, Trey Robinson, released a statement to NFL Network later Wednesday denying the claims made by the court filing.
“Isaiah vehemently denies the truthfulness of the allegations and charges asserted against him today,” Robinson wrote. “Under no circumstance does Mr. Buggs condone the mistreatment of any animal. The dogs at issue did not belong to him and he was unaware they remained at the property in question.
“Further, we believe the City of Tuscaloosa’s decision to file charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an ongoing subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge.
“These efforts are not new as Mr. Buggs was arrested at his business on misdemeanor charges on two separate occasions in the past two months, but each time no public record was made of these arrests. Rather, the City used the threat of pursuing and publicizing both the allegations filed today and these arrests as leverage against Mr. Buggs by offering to drop and not pursue them in exchange for his voluntary surrender of his business license.
“Mr. Buggs declined the City’s offer as he has serious concerns about the City’s and Police Department’s motivation for deciding to target his business which he plans to bring to light as part of his defense of the allegations and charges filed against him and his reputation and business.”
Documents obtained from Tuscaloosa municipal court by Bama247 on Wednesday show Buggs was arrested in late April on a menacing charge after he and his brother, Detarion Buggs, allegedly pointed guns at the vehicle of a woman they wanted to leave the hookah lounge.
“Last night around closing time, she was walking to her car [with another person] when both suspects was yelling at her to leave,” the complaint read. “Detarion threw a cup at Jackson’s car, which bounced back and hit her in the face. One of the suspects got mad because he thought [the woman] was rolling her eyes at him. Detarion said, ‘Alright, I got something for that’ and pushed [the woman]. Isiah [sic] had a gun on him already. Detarion walked back to his car and retrieved his handgun. Both suspects had handguns out at this point. Isiah [sic] pointed his black handgun at the car. Then Detarion cocked his gun and pointed it at the car while yelling, ‘Get the f— in the car, I said leave.’
“She left that night and came today to file this report. Victim advised it was too hectic to call the police that night. Victim will prosecute. [The other person] did not wish to file a report, but said she witnessed everything and said it happened like [the woman] explained. [The woman] had a small mark below her right eye that she states was from the cup striking her face.”
Documents further showed Buggs was arrested in mid-April on two counts of “public order crimes” and one count of obstructing police-resisting arrest in relation to the citation about overcrowding the hookah lounge. Police said 283 people were counted inside the establishment that listed a maximum capacity of 83. While officers were processing Buggs’ citation, the arrest report stated Buggs, “became irate that officers were standing by him and was pacing back and forth, raising his voice and making statements such as, ‘These boys better not touch me,’ and, ‘I’m not going in handcuffs.'” Buggs then tried to leave the lounge when police told him he was not free to leave, and when a police chief placed a hand on Buggs’ shoulder, Buggs allegedly turned around and shoved him into other officers, according to the arrest report.
“A scuffle ensued and it took several officers to place Buggs into handcuffs due to his lack of cooperation,” the report continued. Neither Buggs nor the officers were injured.
Buggs was also issued a citation in March 2024 for operating a business without a license; in April 2022 and April 2024 for overcrowding his establishment; and in February 2022 for placement of trash.
Tuscaloosa county court records also show Buggs was charged in January 2023 with a misdemeanor of failing to file or pay sales tax from February 2021 through April 2022. The charge were later withdrawn by the district attorney’s office on the condition of one year good behavior and compliance with the tax board.
However, the city in March 2024 issued a new citation against Buggs stating he was four months behind on sales and liquor taxes.
Tuscaloosa Patch first reported the court filing Wednesday against Buggs, who played for Alabama in 2017 and 2018. He was a sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019.
