Freshman Is Arrested

UCLA freshman Xavier Burgess, a reserve linebacker who has played this season on special teams, was arrested Monday night by university police on a felony charge of verbally threatening a campus parking attendant.

Burgess was booked at UCLA and transported to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept. substation in West Hollywood, where he remained incarcerated Tuesday night, unable to post a $50,000 bond.

Burgess, a graduate of Sacramento Grant Union High who red-shirted at UCLA in 2002, was expected to be arraigned this morning. If convicted, the 19-year-old could be sentenced up to one year in jail.

Campus police spokesperson Nancy Greenstein did not have many details of the arrest, which was announced by the school’s sports information office, but did confirm that Burgess’ assault was against a male parking enforcement officer and occurred at around 8 p.m.

UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell said he would not comment on the arrest or determine whether to suspend Burgess “until we find out what happened.”

Two other Bruin players, reserve cornerback Marcus Cassel (misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence) and reserve quarterback John Sciarra (misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct-public intoxication and giving false information to a police officer), received one-game suspensions for arrests over the summer.