Report: Offensive lineman Paul Grattan facing criminal charges tied to 2020 bar fight
This post was updated July 28 at 3:27 p.m.
Paul Grattan is facing multiple criminal charges following an altercation in a Pennsylvania bar early last year.
As first reported by the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, the UCLA football left guard is currently facing three criminal charges: misdemeanor simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. Grattan, who transferred from Villanova last offseason, reportedly engaged in a fight with a fellow Villanova student at Kelly’s Taproom in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 26, 2020.
A UCLA Athletics spokesperson told All Bruins that Grattan was in good-standing at Villanova prior to leaving the university in August and remains in good-standing at UCLA. The spokesperson also said UCLA was aware of the matter due to a university and Pac-12-mandated background check prior to Grattan's enrollment, but that it was not an active legal case at the time, nor was it something that stood in the way of his acceptance at UCLA.
The police report obtained by the LA Times detailed the altercation, which reportedly began with a conversation between Grattan and the other student. From there, a police officer who reviewed the security footage said Grattan smacked the other student's shoulder, grabbed them by the neck, absorbed a backhand hit, released their neck and continued punching them in the face and head. The other student reportedly suffered a concussion as a result of the fight.
The case is set to be placed on a pre-trial list, followed by Grattan entering a plea and facing a bench or jury trial.
Villanova Athletics has yet to respond to All Bruin's request for comments on the incident and if either the school or football program was made aware of the situation at the time.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound interior lineman has played and started in 40 of his teams' last 41 games. Grattan earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team Offense in 2019 and started all seven games at left guard for the Bruins in 2020.
Grattan was also named to the UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Winter 2021.
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