Pittsburgh Receiver Santonio Holmes Sued Over Orlando Nightclub Attack

Published by Fleet Tilden, Esq. at March 29, 2010

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and former Super Bowl MVP, Santonio Holmes, is facing a civil law suit from a University of Central Florida student suit based on allegations of the star wide receiver throwing a glass at the student’s face at a Orlando area nightclub in March of this year. Anshonae Mills, 21, is seeking more than $15,000 in damages for battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress from the March 7 incident at Rain Nightclub.

Mills filed her civil law suit in Orange County Circuit civil court alleging that Holmes was intoxicated and quarrelsome offered at the J. J. Whispers nightclub and further offered to pay her to keep quiet about the incident and not press charges.

According to the civil suit, Mills was sitting on the arm of a couch in the VIP section while speaking with her friend, when Holmes approached her and told her to “get up.” When she refused to move, Holmes started “yelling and waving his arms” in front of Mills. She grabbed his hand to prevent him from hitting her. Holmes yanked his hand away and the two began arguing. Other patrons at the club who saw the spat intervened to keep Holmes from grabbing Mills, the suit states. While the two were separated, Holmes threw his drink, glass cup included, at Mills’ face. She was hit on the right side of her face and cut near her eye.

Mills said she felt pressure from Holmes and Orlando police officers and gave a short, incoherent witness statement and said she did not intent to press charges. An incident report by Orlando police was not completed or available for public inspection Monday, more than 21 days after the attack.

This is the second time in a month that a Steelers player is accused of attacking a woman. Earlier this month, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was accused of assaulting a college student in Georgia. Roethlisberger has not been charged.

Public records show Mills has two prior arrests including an arrested in June on a domestic violence charge, which accused her of pushing her boyfriend into a wall at Pegasus Landing apartments. She was jailed, but the charges were later dropped, records show.

Fleet Tilden, Esq.

Beginning in 1923, attorney John Tilden, Esq. established his law practice in Downtown Orlando with a full service law firm serving Central Florida residents. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, attorney N. Fleetwood Tilden, Esq. began his Central Florida law practice after graduating from law school in 1993. After a career as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting Central Florida criminal cases, the Law Office of Tilden Law was established. Practicing exclusively Criminal Defense, Mr. Tilden has handled over 5,000 criminal cases.