By Diamond Leung
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
dleung@media.ucla.edu
C.J. Niusulu, an incoming UCLA freshman football player, was arrested July 25 on charges of felony battery, according to reports by the Desert Dispatch.
Niusulu, 18, surrendered to authorities at his Barstow, Calif., home after allegedly causing serious injury to a minor on July 17 at a drive-in theater, according to Sgt. Lon Jacobs of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
“Even though no weaponry was used, the seriousness of the injuries elevated it to a felony,” Jacobs said.
Last September, UCLA head coach Bob Toledo said any player convicted of a felony would be dismissed from the team.
Toledo made the statement after junior defensive end Asi Faoa pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge.
Faoa, originally charged with two felony counts in June 2000 following a fight at a fraternity party, was scheduled to begin serving his 180-day jail sentence July 26.
Toledo was not available for comment by press time.
Niusulu, a 6-foot-2, 288-pound defensive tackle, was expected to help replenish a Bruin defensive line that lost Kenyon Coleman, Ken Kocher and Anthony Fletcher to graduation and the NFL after last season.
As a senior for Barstow High, Niusulu was named Southern Section Division VIII Defensive Player of the Year after registering 82 tackles, eight sacks and six forced fumbles in only seven matches.