Police arrested former UF athlete Dedric Antoine Dukes on Thursday morning after they said he repeatedly assaulted, kidnapped and threatened his girlfriend with a gun over the course of four months.
In November, about a month after they started dating, the woman confronted Dukes, 24, when she thought he was cheating, according to a police report. He then punched her in the face, knocking her glasses loose and leaving a red mark on her face, according to a police report.
In January, as Dukes left his girlfriend’s home, she told him it was time to break up. Dukes then pushed back through the door and knocked her over, according to the report.
Dukes hit the woman as she lay on the ground. He then forced her into his car and drove to his apartment, hitting her along the way, according to the report.
The woman later took pictures of her swollen and injured face, according to the report.
About a month later, the woman questioned Dukes about a suspicious text message, according to the report. He responded by punching her in the back of the head.
Dukes later accused his girlfriend of stealing an expensive necklace, which she denied. Not convinced, Dukes brandished a semi-automatic handgun, aimed at her and demanded his necklace back, according to the report.
He then forced her into the trunk of his car, where she remained for several minutes, according to the report.
He eventually let his girlfriend out, forced her to sit in the car and drove her to a remote, swampy area near a pier, where he again threatened her with the gun and demanded the necklace, according to the report.
His girlfriend, to pacify Dukes, said she could pay him back if they drove to her bank in Jacksonville, according to the report.
After Dukes drove the woman to get her own car, he followed her to Jacksonville. They stopped for gas in Waldo, where Dukes argued with the woman before he punched through her car’s window, according to the report.
Dukes violated an injunction filed by his girlfriend when police found a gun case and ammunition in his apartment Thursday, according to the report.
Police arrested Dukes on charges of aggravated assault, battery, the display of a firearm during a felony, contempt of court and two charges of kidnapping.
Police took Dukes to the Alachua County Jail, where, as of press time, he remains with no bond.
Dukes won five national titles and earned 17 All-America honors while competing with the Florida track and field team from 2012-2015, primarily competing in sprint events and relay events.
He was part of the school’s record-setting 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay teams and also owns the second-fastest indoor and outdoor 200-meter dash times in school history at 20.34 seconds and 19.97 seconds, respectively.
Contact Martin Vassolo at mvassolo@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @martindvassolo.
