CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina basketball guard King Rice is accused of choking a woman, dislocating a law officer's thumb and damaging a wall outside a magistrate's office in incidents that began early Tuesday.
Rice, 21, of Binghamton, N.Y., was released from the Orange County Jail on a $2,500 secured bond following his arrest for assault on a female, resisting arrest and damage to property.
He faces a May 31 district court hearing on the three misdemeanor charges in Chapel Hill.
Dean Smith, veteran Tar Heel coach, declined to say how the junior would be reprimanded for the incidents which occurred the final day of the school year.
'King had just completed exams and certainly didn't make a wise choice in celebrating too much last night,' Smith said in a prepared statement. 'Both he and his girlfriend agree on that.
'He'll be treated like any other student,' Smith said. 'I'm sure he'll get a lawyer and let the courts move from there. As a member of the basketball program, he has certain responsibilities and that issue will be dealt with privately.'
Rice, a standout on the Tarheel team, made 217 assists in 34 games during the past season. He averaged 9.2 points per game.
Chapel Hill Police Capt. Ralph Pendergraph said an officer spotted Rice about 3 a.m. assaulting his date in an apparent domestic dispute outside a private dormitory near the University of North Carolina campus.
Officer Ed Brooks reported Rice 'tried to choke the female in his presence and dragged her down the sidewalk,' said Pendergraph.
The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Rice 'indicated he did not want to be arrested and had to be physically subdued,' said Pendergraph.
In the ensuing struggle, Rice allegedly dislocated the thumb of police officer Ben Wiseman. The officer was treated and released from a local hospital, Pendergraph said.
Rice was taken before an Orange County magistrate who issued an arrest warrant and allowed Rice to make a telephone call. After making the call, Rice 'became agitated again and struck the wall outside the magistrate's office,' said Pendergraph.
'There's a circle the size of a fist punched in the plaster board,' Pendergraph said.
Pendergraph and Rick Brewer, North Carolina sports information director, said they did not know who posted the bond to get Rice out.
