An NFL player and his girlfriend have been arrested in Middletown after a disagreement over child support got physical, according to arraignment reports.
Police responded to the Dove Lane home of Detroit Lions safety Amari Spievey, 24, and his girlfriend, Lisamarie Santos, 26, at 3:58 p.m. on Tuesday after receiving a report of a domestic dispute and found Santos upset and crying. Santos told police that she and Spievey got into an argument over child support for their 2-year-old daughter, according to police.
She told police that Amari put his hand around her neck and pushed her, police said. An officer noted a small red mark on her neck.
The fight started when Spievey was holding their daughter and telling the little girl that her mother is crazy and not to be like her, Santos said, according to police.
Then the argument turned to money and she asked him about money he owes her for bills, police said.
During the argument, Spievey put his finger near her face and told her to take him to court for child support and they began to push each other until Santos stumbled and hit the counter, according to the arraignment report.
When police spoke to Spievey, he said he was in the hallway, holding his daughter, before going to the gym when Santos tried to pull the girl away because he was telling the little girl not to be like her mother, police said.
Santos became upset because she was unable to pull her daughter from Spievey, so she grabbed his throat and he swiped her hand away, he told police. Santos then grabbed his throat a second time and started punching him, he said, according to police.
Spievey, who attended Xavier in Middletown, told officers that he did not punch or hurt Santos and that she was upset because she thought he was trying to “short her” on the $3,000 a month he gives her in child support, according to police.
He went on to say that he would pay anything for his daughter but not for Santos to go shopping and pay her student loans.
Police said Spievey did not have any visible neck injuries.
Spievey and Santos were taken into custody and charged with risk of injury, disorderly conduct and third-degree assault.
Spievey and Santos were released and ordered to have no contact. The state Department of Children and Families was also contacted.
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