ORLANDO, Fla. – A University of Central Florida basketball player has been suspended after he was accused of grabbing his roommate by the neck and threatening to kill him because he didn't say hello to him while tailgating, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said the victim and one of his friends arrived at the unit he shares at University House Apartments with Rokas Ulvydas and two other people around 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The victim was in his bedroom and Ulvydas came inside yelling, "When you see me, you acknowledge me and say hello," the report said.
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Ulvydas -- who is 6 feet, 11 inches tall -- is accused of then grabbing the victim by the back of the neck while yelling, "If you don't say hi to me I'll (expletive) kill you, you know who I am."
Deputies said Ulvydas then turned the victim so that his hands were around the front of his neck, pinned him to the bedroom door then threw him toward a dresser, which caused him to hit the dresser and fall on the floor, according to the affidavit.
Ulvydas then left the bedroom and the victim contacted authorities.
The victim told deputies that he is afraid of Ulvydas because he has acted aggressively on multiple occasions. He said he saw Ulvydas while tailgating for the UCF football game on Saturday but didn't say anything to him because he was "just trying to stay away from him," deputies said.
Ulvydas, 23, was arrested on a battery charge. He is a citizen of Lithuania but declined to contact the consulate.
UCF basketball coach Johnny Dawkins issued a statement about the arrest.
“We’re aware of the situation and continuing to look into the matter. Rokas Ulvydas has been suspended indefinitely from all basketball-related activity,” Dawkins said.