Tennessee linebacker charged with assaulting estranged wife

Tuesday, October 24th 2006, 2:44 pm

By: News On 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Police in Ohio issued arrest warrants for Tennessee linebacker Robert Reynolds on three misdemeanors charges of assaulting his estranged wife and breaking her cell phone.

Reynolds, a fifth-round pick out of Ohio State in 2004, was wanted on charges of domestic violence, assault and criminal damaging for an incident at his wife's home on Saturday night.

The couple is separated with the divorce due to be final on Oct. 31.

Jennifer Reynolds told police her husband had driven to Ohio to visit their 2-year-old son and had started drinking that morning. They were watching TV at night in her home in the Upper Arlington suburb near Columbus when Reynolds found another man's number in her cell phone.

Reynolds threw the phone at the living room wall and destroyed it before punching a small hole in the wall. His wife followed him outside where he shoved her with both hands, causing her to fall against the wall.

She told police she was not hurt but was afraid for herself because of Reynold's size _ 6 feet 3 inches and 247 pounds _ and his ``violent past.'' She told police this wasn't the first time Reynolds had been violent, although only one incident had been reported to authorities.

Police contacted NFL security, who asked the Titans to arrange for Reynolds to appear in court. The Titans had no comment Tuesday when asked about the warrants.

Reynolds' agent, Brad Leshnock, did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press.

The Titans had their bye on Sunday, and coach Jeff Fisher had given his players five days off as a reward for winning their first game. They are not due back in Nashville until Wednesday morning.

Reynolds started 26 games at Ohio State.

He was suspended in 2003 for a game after he jammed his fingers into the throat of Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi and choked him, knocking Sorgi out of the game. Reynolds apologized three days later with his wife at his side.