Warrant issued for suspended Seminoles QB De'Andre Johnson

ByMark Schlabach ESPN logo
Tuesday, June 30, 2015

The state attorney's office in Tallahassee, Florida, has issued a notice-to-appear warrant for suspendedFlorida Statequarterback De'Andre Johnson, who is accused of punching a 21-year-old woman in a bar on Wednesday.

Assistant state attorney Georgia Cappleman said Johnson, from Jacksonville, Florida, is charged with misdemeanor battery. Cappleman said state attorney Willie Meggs will prosecute the case and that he made the decision to charge Johnson after reviewing video of the incident that was captured by security cameras inside the bar.

ESPN.com reported earlier that an arrest warrant had been issued. However,because Johnson faces a misdemeanor, he will be served the notice to appear by a sheriff's deputy and not be arrested.

Last week, FSU coach Jimbo Fisher indefinitely suspended Johnson for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Johnson enrolled at FSU in January after graduating early from First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

According to Meggs, Johnson was involved in an argument with the woman after she cut in front of him while they were waiting to order drinks at a bar near the FSU campus. Witnesses told police the woman raised her arms and then Johnson grabbed them and punched her in the face. Meggs, however, said Johnson punched the woman in the nose. She still has a black eye, he said.

Meggs met with the woman Tuesday morning.

"The video is very telling. She is going to be a good witness," Meggs told ESPN.com.

Johnson isn't thought to be one of the main contenders for FSU's starting job this season. Junior Sean Maguire and Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson, who enrolled at FSU this summer, are believed to be the main contenders to replace 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, who was the No. 1 pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in April's NFL draft.

Freshman Deondre Francois of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, also joined FSU's quarterback competition this offseason. He was ranked the country's No. 3 dual-threat quarterback and No. 42 prospect overall in the ESPN 300.

Johnson, who was named Florida's Mr. Football in 2014, was ranked the No. 7 dual-threat quarterback as a senior. He passed for 3,710 yards with 47 touchdowns while running for 398 yards with nine scores, leading First Coast High to a 12-1 record last season. He finished his prep career with 11,697 passing yards, 131 touchdown passes and 23 rushing scores.