SEATTLE — While Frank Clark was a University of Michigan football standout last fall, police said his then-girlfriend suffered multiple injuries while the two stayed overnight in Sandusky, Ohio.
A hotel employee called 911 late on November 15, 2014 and told dispatchers, "I need a police officer ASAP to a domestic dispute in 3202 at Maui Sands Resort ASAP, like there's head banging and everything."
Kristie Colie was staying in the room next door to Clark and his girlfriend that night. Colie, of Erie County, Pennsylvania told KIRO 7 during a phone interview on Tuesday that she heard what sounded like a head banging against the wall. Colie "has no doubt that Clark beat his girlfriend."
Colie also said when she and a friend responded to Clark's room, they saw the football player's girlfriend, not moving, on the floor, with multiple injuries. According to Colie, the victim's three younger brothers told her and her friend: "Frank's killing her! Frank's killing my sister!"
The incident is described in a 28-page report, made public on the Perkins Township Police Department website. Follow this link to read a copy of the police narrative, which has been redacted to omit the victim's name. According to investigators, the oldest of the victim's brothers told police he "observed (Clark) punching" his sister.
Clark was arrested for domestic violence assault but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, disorderly conduct, last month. Because of the plea deal, Clark did not have a domestic violence assault conviction on his record when the Seahawks drafted him last Friday.
Since then, team leaders have maintained they would never have chosen Clark if he'd hit a woman. The Seahawks -- and the NFL -- have a new, zero-tolerance policy when it comes to domestic violence. But Kristie Colie wondered how "the NFL is looking to clean up its image, while apparently ignoring that Clark beat up his girlfriend."
"How can you watch a team that drafts someone like that?" Colie said.
The Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, located in Seattle, has not taken an official stance on Clark's being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks, but its spokesperson did condemn all acts of domestic violence on Tuesday. "The fact that we're having this conversation is a good thing," Kelly Starr said.
Starr did, however, question how a player like Clark could be chosen with a zero-tolerance policy in place and offered support if he makes the Seahawks. "I do think we all have questions to see what's going to happen next, and I think asking questions is fair," Starr said. "We should be doing that of each other, as well as our sports teams."
SEAHAWKS STATEMENT:
We conducted an extensive independent investigation that included confidential interviews with people directly involved with the case. That investigation provided our organization with an in-depth understanding of the situation and background. With the exception of Frank, we did not directly speak to any witnesses from that night.
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