Georgia football wide receiver Rara Thomas has been arrested and jailed on multiple charges, according to reports.
Thomas was arrested by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and booked on a felony charge of second-degree cruelty to children and two misdemeanor counts of battery. All three charges carried a “family violence” distinction.
Thomas is still awaiting a bond hearing after being taken in shortly after 3 a.m. ET.
“This is a pending legal matter and we will have no comment at this time,” Georgia athletics said in a brief statement, via UGASports.com’s Anthony Dasher.
This is not Thomas’ first run-in with the law as a member of the Georgia program. In January 2023, shortly after he transferred in from Mississippi State, Thomas was arrested on charges of family violence and false imprisonment, which were later dismissed.
In 11 games for Georgia last fall, Thomas recorded 23 catches for 383 yards and one touchdown. The former four-star recruit caught 62 passes for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns in his two seasons at Mississippi State.
Over the last couple of years, UGA has had issues with players running afoul of the law, usually for driving-related offenses. Given the scrutiny head coach Kirby Smart has faced for these matters, it will be interesting to see how he handles Thomas’ situation.
Stay tuned.
Related: Kirby Smart Reveals Players Have Been Fined For Driving Violations