Titans’ Brown Arrested on Misdemeanor Charge

Michael Brown, a reserve defensive back on the Cal State Fullerton football team, was arrested Thursday on a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery with great bodily harm, according to university police.

Sgt. Stan Skipworth of the campus police department said Brown, 23, a junior from Citrus College, was booked into Orange County jail Thursday but was released after posting $10,000 bail.

According to the police report, Brown drove his motor scooter into a parking lot on the east side of campus at 11:30 a.m. and nearly hit the motorcycle of Johnny Karnofsky, 22, a student from Fountain Valley.

Skipworth said the two exchanged words, after which Brown allegedly became angry and punched Karnofsky in the face. The blow dislodged two of Karnofsky’s teeth and broke a bone in his face.

“The blows were so sufficient that, after a certain point, Karnofsky didn’t remember much,” Skipworth said.

Brown, who also returned punts for the Titans, was originally booked on a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon--his fists. But Tom Gehrls, who is investigating the case for the campus police, said that charge was reduced Monday. No court date had been set as of Monday afternoon.

Brown has not practiced with the football team since the incident and did not make last weekend’s trip to Fresno State. Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy cited “disciplinary reasons” as the reason for Brown’s absence.

Murphy declined to comment on the case Monday, saying, “I haven’t talked to enough people about the situation.” He had not determined if Brown will be allowed to play in Saturday’s season finale against Cal State Long Beach.