Let’s remember when UW football player Damore’ea Stringfellow pleaded guilty to assaulting Seahawks fans after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, on this day in 2013 (April 16)
The euphoria that Seattle was experiencing citywide after the Seahawks won their first Super Bowl was ruined for some people by a couple of players on Seattle’s other major football team: the University of Washington Huskies. Quarterback Cyler Miles and receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow (no relation to Ken).
The Seattle Times wrote at the time of the arrest:
According to the charging documents, Stringfellow assaulted a woman at a celebratory bonfire, where a large crowd had gathered near the university’s Greek Row shortly after the Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos on Feb. 2.
Miles, wearing a Broncos beanie, and Stringfellow were both present at the bonfire.
Stringfellow “was shoving a Broncos hat or beanie in the faces of celebrating Seahawks fans. An unknown male ran into the crowd, grabbed the hat from Stringfellow’s hand, and threw it either on the ground or toward the fire,” according to the charging documents. “Stringfellow and the unknown male began fighting. Bystanders quickly stepped in to separate the two.”
But wait! There’s more.
In a second incident about 50 minutes later, Stringfellow and Miles got out of a car and asked a man if he was a Seahawks fan. The man replied, “Yeah of course, are you Broncos fans?”
After Stringfellow said yes, the Seahawks fan said, “Tough night to be a Broncos fan,” and tried to walk past the two football players.
Stringfellow “blocked the fan’s path and got up very close to him,” the documents read. “(The Seahawks fan) put his hands up in front of and close to his chest. Stringfellow said he felt threatened and pushed (the fan) into a hedge. (The fan) pushed him back, and Stringfellow began punching him, striking him at least once in the lower jaw. (The fan) tried to get away by running down a nearby path. … Stringfellow and Miles chased him, with Stringfellow in the lead.”
After catching up with the Seahawks fan, Stringfellow “punched him again in the head and cheek.”
King County prosecutors concluded that they only had enough evidence to charge Stringfellow and not Miles. Miles was also the starting quarterback, albeit a mediocre one who filled in because someone had to while Jake Browning was still in high school.
Stringfellow’s punishment was, again per the Times:
Washington sophomore wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow was sentenced to five days on a work crew, fined $693 and ordered to seek additional anger management after pleading guilty Wednesday to two counts of fourth-degree assault against Seahawks fans in separate post-Super Bowl altercations.
In a plea bargain with prosecutors, Stringfellow also pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree malicious mischief. All three charges were misdemeanors.
King County District Court Judge Anne Harper accepted the sentencing recommendation in the plea agreement. Each misdemeanor count carried up to 364 days in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. She suspended all but five days of the possible jail sentence, and transferred those five days to a work crew.
Stringfellow can also choose to spend 70 hours doing community service instead of the $693 fine. He must also pay a yet-to-be determined amount in restitution to the victims.
Stringfellow transferred to the University of Mississippi after that, though that wasn’t the extent of his punishment, as he also had two separate stints in 2018 where he could sit and think about what he did on the Seahawks practice squad.
For further reading:
