The Pullman Police Department is requesting that star Washington State University football player Shalom Luani be charged with felony assault for allegedly breaking a man’s nose. Detectives are forwarding their case to the Whitman County Prosecutor’s office for a charging decision. It includes a referral recommending that Luani be charged with felony 2nd degree assault. The senior defensive back allegedly got angry at the Domino’s Pizza on Pullman’s College Hill during the early morning hours of August 24th. Several witnesses in the packed pizzeria say Luani became upset because his pizza was taking too long. He was asked to leave by several people including at 20 year old WSU student who was allegedly struck inside the Domino’s by Luani. The 2 men then went outside and that’s when Luani allegedly threw the punch breaking the man’s nose. Officers say alcohol was involved. The case referral for felony assault is very different from WSU Head Coach Mike Leach’s perspective. In a rare move Leach commented about a criminal investigation involving one of his players. Leach has stated that his initial fact finding showed that Luani may have been the victim and that he was jumped by 3 people. The DB earned All-PAC12 Conference Honorable Mention last season. Luani did not play in the Cougar’s season opening loss at home to Eastern Washington. He started WSU’s last game Saturday in a loss on the road to Boise State. This case is one of three assault investigations involving WSU football players this Summer.
Via KQQQ