MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – University of Miami safety Avantae Williams has been dismissed from the Hurricanes’ football program after he was arrested Wednesday night on a charge of aggravated battery of a pregnant victim.
The university announced Williams was dismissed from the team at around 5 p.m. Thursday.
Thursday at around 10:30 p.m., Williams was seen leaving the correctional center with a towel over his head and nothing to say.
Williams, 20, was taken into custody by officers with the Miami-Dade Police Department and was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
According to his arrest report, Williams is the victim’s ex-boyfriend and father of her unborn child. The victim is 21 weeks pregnant.
Miami-Dade police said the former couple had been living together for four months at an apartment on Hammocks Boulevard in Kendall and got into an argument Wednesday about Williams being involved with another woman.
Police said Williams told his ex-girlfriend that he was leaving and that she needed to be out of their home before he returned.
Police said Williams returned home to find the victim in their bedroom, packing up her belongings.
Authorities said Williams became upset that his ex-girlfriend was still there and grabbed her, threw her onto the bed and began yelling at her to “Get the f*** out!”
According to the arrest report, Williams then threw the victim to the floor, grabbed her by the hair, picked her up and threw her on the ground outside of the apartment, causing her to hit her head.
Police said the woman contacted a neighbor, who called police.
The woman was taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center to be treated for her injuries.
Police said she suffered multiple bruises to her arms, a minor bruise to her neck and she also had broken fingernails from the alleged attack.
Williams appeared in bond court Thursday morning and was ordered to stay away from the victim, although the victim said she did not want the judge to issue a stay-away order against Williams.
“Sir, how much money can you afford for a bond, if any?” asked an official at the bond hearing over a video call. “I play for the University of Miami,” said Williams. “I have coaches that are willing to help me.”
The judge also ordered that Williams may not possess any weapons or ammunition and must not use or possess any illegal drugs.
If Williams posts his $7,500 bond, he will have 48 hours to enter the victim’s home one time to retrieve his personal belongings. He must be accompanied by a police officer when doing so, the judge ordered.
Williams will also be outfitted with a GPS ankle monitor and will be placed on house arrest upon his release.
The football star claimed in court that some of his coaches have offered to assist him with his bail.
Williams, who is from DeLand and committed to the Florida Gators last year before making the surprise switch to Miami on National Signing Day, was UM’s top signee as a recruit out of the 2020 class. ESPN ranked him as the No. 1 safety in the country and the No. 45 overall player.