Rutgers Assistant Pleads Not Guilty In Assault Case

Wednesday, July 18th 2007, 6:04 pm

By: News On 6

LONG BRANCH, N.J. (AP) _ The lawyer for a Rutgers University assistant football coach charged with assaulting his girlfriend said Wednesday the charges against his client have been ``blown way out of proportion'' and that no assault occurred.

Chris Demarest was arrested at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday after police responded to a call at Le Club Avenue, an upscale bar-restaurant. According to police, an off-duty detective witnessed the altercation between Demarest and the woman, who has not been identified.

Demarest waived a scheduled appearance in Long Branch Municipal Court on Wednesday. The case has been adjourned for trial although a date has not been set, according to municipal court administrator Theresa Woods-Coyne. A trial would likely be held within the next few weeks, she said.

Attorney John Azzarello said Demarest is on vacation this week and had not been notified of his Wednesday court date. In lieu of appearing in court, Azzarello filed a written request for adjournment that was accepted by the court, which amounted to the court's acceptance of the not guilty plea.

``We believe the events of the morning of July 14, 2007, concerning Chris Demarest and his girlfriend have been blown way out of proportion,'' Azzarello said Wednesday. ``We are certain that when all of the facts are revealed, they will demonstrate that Mr. Demarest did not assault or inflict any physical harm upon his girlfriend for whom he has great affection.''

Demarest was seen grabbing and pushing the woman and was later escorted outside by security. Police officers described the woman as having bruises and abrasions on her arms. Azzarello noted that the woman refused medical attention and did not request a restraining order, nor did she seek to file charges.

Demarest, a native of Keyport, has been the defensive secondary coach at Rutgers for three years. In March, he was promoted to assistant head coach, the second-ranking assistant to head coach Greg Schiano behind associate head coach Darren Rizzi.

Before coming to Rutgers, Demarest was defensive backs coach at North Carolina State from 2000 to 2003 and a graduate assistant at Florida State in 1998-99.

Schiano did not comment on Demarest's arrest Wednesday. On Tuesday, he released a statement saying he would reserve judgment until he collected all of the facts in the case.

Rutgers players are scheduled to report for practice on Aug. 2. The Scarlet Knights are coming off their best season in school history, which included a 9-0 start, a No. 7 national ranking and a 37-10 win over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl.