Holmes denies hurting woman

Associated Press

ORLANDO, FLa.

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes denies hurting a woman who says he threw a glass at her in an Orlando nightclub and claims another woman hit her with the cup, according to a police report released Tuesday.

Holmes told an Orlando Police Department officer that the alleged victim, Anshonae Mills, grabbed his wrist, got in his face and called him a racial name after he asked for his seat back in the VIP section of Club Rain earlier this month.

Mills, 21, told a different story in a civil lawsuit she filed last week against 26-year-old Holmes. In the lawsuit, she claimed that the Super Bowl MVP got in her face and then hit her with the glass after she refused to give up her seat.

Mills’ attorneys said at a news conference Tuesday that they hadn’t seen the police report and couldn’t comment on it.

In the nightclub, Holmes told Mills to get up and move, said Jacques Cooper, the woman’s attorney.

“When she refused, Mr. Holmes began to get more belligerent and more aggressive in an attempt to get our client to move from the area, which he claimed was his,” Cooper said.

Mills had a quarter-inch abrasion above her right eye but refused medical attention, the police report said.

Holmes denied touching Mills and said another woman threw the glass that hit Mills in the face. After both Mills and Holmes were escorted out of the nightclub, Mills asked the police officer if she could speak to Holmes alone, the police report said.

Holmes agreed to speak with her and they walked several feet away. The police officer saw Mills smiling and rubbing Holmes’ face, according to the police report.

A short time later, Mills told the police officer that she didn’t want to press charges, the police report said. In the lawsuit, Mills claimed Holmes and a police officer intimidated Mills so she wouldn’t press charges.

An Orlando police department spokeswoman said the case was closed since Mills declined to prosecute. But an administrative review of the timeliness of the report would be conducted since it was filed Tuesday, three weeks after the incident.

Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement that the team is “disappointed” by the allegations made in the lawsuit.

Since 2006, Holmes has been charged with marijuana possession in Pittsburgh, domestic violence in Ohio and disorderly conduct in Florida. The marijuana and domestic violence charges were dropped. The disorderly conduct charge was dropped in exchange for a $250 donation to a police officers trust fund.