Pringle Had 3 Other Brushes With the Law

Cal State Fullerton football star Michael Pringle had three other brushes with the law in the past year before he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an off-duty police officer at a Fullerton nightclub last week, police and court records show.

Pringle, 22, a running back who was the Big West Conference offensive player of the year last season, was selected Monday by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the National Football League draft.

According to Fullerton police, Pringle also was arrested almost two weeks ago on suspicion of assaulting a female patron at another Fullerton bar.

“I don’t want to comment on any of that stuff because I’m confident the charges will be dropped,” Pringle said Monday.

In addition, court records show that Pringle is in a drug diversion program in lieu of being prosecuted on a citation received last fall for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. And records show that he has been on summary probation since August after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor petty theft charge stemming from an incident at a San Fernando Valley nightclub called Fantasia.

On Thursday, Fullerton police arrested Pringle along with fellow Titan player Andrew Fears, 21, on suspicion of assaulting an off-duty Pasadena police officer at the Carnivale Club at 1401 S. Lemon St. Both players were released on their own recognizance.

Police said Officer Darin McBride was tackled and kicked in the head by five or six people, most of them football players, after he tried to break up a fight between two women in the bar’s parking lot.

During the scuffle, McBride shot and wounded Titan defensive end Clarence Siler, 23. Siler was in good condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange on Monday.

On April 11, Pringle was arrested at the Red Onion Restaurant and Cantina at 1446 N. Harbor Blvd. on suspicion of assaulting a 22-year-old Fullerton woman as she came out of a restroom, records show.

The woman, who was not identified, told police that Pringle grabbed her once by the shoulder and she pushed him away, Fullerton Police Sgt. Joe Klein said. The woman told officers that Pringle then grabbed her buttocks and “slugged her in the stomach with a closed fist,” Klein continued.

The woman then went to a friend’s house and telephoned police. Officers met her at the restaurant, where she identified Pringle, Klein said. Pringle was issued a misdemeanor battery citation and released.

Pringle said that he is confident he will be found innocent in both bar incidents if the cases go to trial.

“I have witnesses to testify if it goes that far,” Pringle said. “If the system works, it shouldn’t be any problem. As a criminal justice major, I believe I know what I’m talking about.”

According to court officials, Pringle agreed to pay a $100 fine and attend anti-drug classes in March after he was cited in Fullerton on Nov. 23 for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

The officials also said that Pringle pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor petty theft charge last August after he and John David Brazil, 22, of Pacoima, were arrested at the Fantasia nightclub on 19470 Nordhoff St. in Northridge on June 26.

Police said the two took cash from the purses of two bar patrons. Pringle was sentenced to one day in jail and one year’s summary probation, according to the court officials. He also performed five hours of community service with Caltrans.

Brazil was sentenced to one year of probation and received a $353 fine, according to records.

Pringle, however, denied on Monday knowing anything about the petty theft charge.

Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report.

Pringle FARES WELL IN NFL DRAFT: The Atlanta Falcons select the beleaguered running back in sixth round. C1