ATHENS, Ga. — UPDATE: Georgia wide receiver Rara Thomas has been suspended indefinitely, per a team source.
Another Georgia football player was arrested on Friday.
Officers arrested Thomas, charging him with one felony charge of second-degree cruelty to children and two misdemeanor charges of battery, according to the Athens Clarke-County Police Department. He had no bond.
The ACCPD said they arrested Thomas after 1:30 a.m. after responding to a domestic violence call. He was booked at 3:20 a.m. and is still in the Clarke County Jail.
This is not the first arrest on battery charges for Thomas. In 2023, when the former Mississippi State wide receiver first transferred to the Bulldogs, he was arrested for false imprisonment and battery-family violence.
According to a report from the University of Georgia Police Department, in that case he stood blocking off an exit and wouldn't let a then 17-year-old girl leave. He also bruised the girl's arm and caused "abrasions" to her shins, the UGAPD said.
THOMAS' MUGSHOT FROM 2023
These charges were dismissed later that year, which allowed him to return to team activities.
The Bulldogs suspended the 6-foot-1 wideout at the time of his first arrest, based on guidelines from University of Georgia Athletic Association. Georgia’s code of conduct for athletes states that anyone charged with a family crime is restricted and suspended from team activities until the case is resolved. Additionally, those charged with misdemeanor crimes can participate if given clearance from the coach and athletic director.
Since his charges this time involve another family crime, the team will likely suspend Thomas from all activities until the case is resolved unless given clearance.
Thomas is the third player from Georgia football to be arrested in July.
He joins redshirt freshman offensive lineman Bo Hughley, who was arrested on failure to maintain lane and reckless driving charges, and senior linebacker Smael Mondon Jr., who also received a reckless driving charge alongside racing on highways and/or streets. A fourth player, freshman defensive back Demello Jones, was charged alongside Mondon, but wasn't arrested.
Thomas, however, is the first player to receive a felony charge out of this group.
If he's dismissed from the team, he'll join recently dismissed defensive back David Daniel-Sisavanh as the second player dismissed this offseason after a reckless driving case in February.
Coming into this year, Thomas had an opportunity to carve out a bigger role in his second season with the Bulldogs. Last season, the rising senior had 23 catches, 383 receiving yards and one touchdown. However, it's unclear if he'll make it to the field.
"This is a pending legal matter. We will have no further comment at this point.," UGA's Executive Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communications Steven Drummond said in a statement.
13WMAZ will update this story as more information becomes available.
