Tyler Higbee to plead not guilty to charges

Tight end prospect Tyler Higbee intends to plead not guilty to charges that arose out of an altercation over the weekend that left a 24-year-old man in serious condition, the lawyer for the Western Kentucky University product told Paste BN Sports on Tuesday.

Higbee was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree evading police and public intoxication after he was arrested outside of a Bowling Green, Ky., music club early Sunday morning. His attorney, Brian Lowder, said Higbee was merely defending himself in the incident, which left Bowling Green resident Nawaf Alsaleh severely injured.

“The situation escalated with when (Alsaleh) put his head under Tyler’s chest and yelled something in Arabic,” Lowder said. “Alsaleh then shoved (Higbee’s) girlfriend, who was attempting to be a peacemaker.”

Higbee is scheduled to be arraigned in Warren County Circuit Court on May 5. He was released on a $10,000 bond Sunday afternoon.

Alsaleh was diagnosed with a concussion and hemorrhage, according to WBKO-TV. He  remained in serious condition at TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville as of noon ET on Tuesday, hospital spokesperson Anna-Lee Cockrill told Paste BN Sports.

The altercation occurred outside Tidball’s, a small music venue and bar blocks away from Western Kentucky’s main campus.

Lowder refuted reports that the attack was racially or religiously motivated. A witness told police that Higbee made a racial slur in the moments before the incident.

“That came from an anonymous statement given to police,” Lowder said. “He denies that was part of this at all.”

Lowder said Higbee, who is recovering from a knee injury he suffered this past season, will continue to train ahead of the NFL draft. Higbee had been projected to be one of the top tight ends available.

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