Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga is facing a misdemeanor assault charge for a bar fight over the weekend that injured the bar manager.  Read more after the jump.
Police released the 911 call of the incident:
Security: I’ll be at the back door to let them in. he’s actively fighting everybody in here.
911: Is anyone hurt?
Security: General Manager just got punched in the face.
One witness, however, says the call exaggerated the situation in some regards.
“The reality is it wasn’t a chaotic situation at all,” Luxe Operations Manager Shawn Blagg said. “But he did do what he did. I still don’t understand why or how it happened.”
According to an incident report from Cincinnati Police, Maualuga punched Sammy Laham, the manager of Luxe bar, in the face early Sunday morning during a bar fight.
“One of them said something at which point I repeated myself, that they had to leave, and then Rey Maualuga got up, took three or four steps and punched me in the face, more noticeably the eye, then my nose started to bleed,” said Sammy Laham. “Then security diffused the situation.”
Laham said nothing provoked the situation.
“Our security went over to see what was going on, to break them up, and Sammy went over as well, and Rey was leaning up against the bar and he stepped forward and swung,” said Brittany Knight, who witnessed the accident. “At first I didn’t see who it was because I was standing a little further back until I saw my manager walk by and I saw his eye and it was bleeding and cut up. He said, ‘I can’t believe I just got hit’ and I was shocked with my mouth to the ground.”
According to the incident report, Laham suffered a laceration and redness to his left cheek, below his eye.
Maualuga was charged Friday with assault. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 27.
FOX19 spoke to Maualuga’s agent, Gary Uberstine, who called Maualuga, and then called FOX19 back saying that he can’t really comment on the matter at this point.
This is not Maualuga’s first run in with the law. He was arrested in January of 2010 for drunk driving and careless driving in Kenton County after he hit a parking meter and two parked cars. He pleaded guilty and was given a 90-day license suspension and a two-year probation.
According to documents obtained from the clerk of court’s office, the judge stipulated Maualuga could not have any convictions within those two years or else he would have to serve seven days in jail. The two year period ended last week.
Mauluga’s arraignment is set for next Friday in Hamilton County court.
