Former Tennessee linebacker Raynoch Thompson is facing a misdemeanor assault charge after an incident in a Kroger parking lot in South Knoxville, according to records obtained by KnoxNews.com.
After a dispute over Thompson staying at the residence of Francisco Rodriguez in which police were involved, the 38-year-old former linebacker alledgedly grabbed Rodriguez by the neck and threatened to kill him in the grocery store parking lot on Chapman Highway.
Rodriguez told police that Thompson, a member of Tennessee’s 1998 national championship team, had no place to live and had asked to stay at Rodriguez’s house for a few weeks. When Rodriguez asked Thompson to leave, he would not.
Rodriguez says he was walking to the Kroger when Thompson came up from behind him and assaulted him. He defended himself against the former second-round draft pick with an umbrella.
Thompson joined the Arizona Cardinals in 2000, playing five seasons before being released. In 2003 he missed the final four games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. In February 2015 he was arrested for stealing 23 packs of energy pills from a West Knoxville convenience store.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
