Police Detail Colorado Punter Stabbing; Accused May Have Had Accomplice
Friday , September 15, 2006
GREELEY, Colo. ??? Northern Colorado's backup punter asked a friend to lie about his whereabouts the night he was accused of stabbing a rival teammate, according a police affidavit obtained Thursday that suggests he may have also had an accomplice.
Mitch Cozad of Wheatland, Wyo., remained free on $30,000 bond on suspicion of second-degree assault. Weld County prosecutors said they have until Sept. 22 to formally charge him.
Cozad is accused of stabbing starting punter Rafael Mendoza in the back of his kicking leg Monday night outside Mendoza's apartment in nearby Evans. Mendoza was treated and released from the hospital, but will miss Saturday's game at Texas State.
"I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support," Mendoza said Thursday in a statement released by the school. "I want everyone to know I am doing well and recovering."
Mendoza surprised teammates by showing up to a special teams meeting before Thursday's practice. He was in town to receive treatment on his injury.
"The team loved it," UNC coach Scott Downing said. "They gave him a standing ovation when he came into the room."
Cozad has been suspended from the university and evicted from his dorm room. He has not spoken publicly about the incident. Weld County officials said he has been granted permission to stay at his mother's home in Wheatland, where no one answered the door Thursday.
The 3 1/2-page arrest affidavit outlined a plot that had taken shape over at least a week and included reference to a second suspect, though none has been publicly identified by police.
Evans police Lt. Gary Kessler did not return messages seeking comment.
Fellow kicker David Dyches said in the affidavit that Cozad "had extreme hatred, competition, and jealousy for Mendoza and his number one punting position on the UNC football team." In the affidavit, kicker Michael York told police he provided Mendoza's address to Cozad last week, thinking he was interested in a rental apartment.
Angela Vogel, a friend of Cozad's, was quoted in the affidavit saying she was asked to lie to authorities and the suspect's mother about his whereabouts on Monday night.
As she spoke with police Tuesday, Cozad was allegedly text messaging her and leaving phone messages asking her things such as, "What did you say?," according to the affidavit.
Mendoza had spotted a suspicious man in his parking lot last Thursday, and he sped into his apartment. Then, on Monday, he was returning home from study hall and was jumped from behind.
According to the affidavit, Mendoza was stabbed while he was on the ground and suffered a 1-inch puncture wound, 3 to 5 inches deep. He described the suspect as a man dressed in black sweat pants and a black hooded sweatshirt cinched together to reveal only the eyes; police say they have recovered a similar sweatshirt from Cozad's apartment.
Later that evening, a liquor store employee called police and said two men were removing tape from the front and rear license plates of a car in the parking lot. Once removed, the employee saw the license plate number read "8-KIKR," helping lead police to the Cozad family, according to the affidavit.
No details of a second suspect have been disclosed by authorities.
Downing said he's not sure when Mendoza would return, but it could be at least two weeks away.
"I asked him and (he said) he'd be back tomorrow," Downing said with a laugh. "He'd be punting on crutches.
"It was nice. A majority went up to him and said, 'Hi, how are you doing?' I think it helps him to know that not only do the guys think about him, but the guys are happy to have him around."
Friday , September 15, 2006
GREELEY, Colo. ??? Northern Colorado's backup punter asked a friend to lie about his whereabouts the night he was accused of stabbing a rival teammate, according a police affidavit obtained Thursday that suggests he may have also had an accomplice.
Mitch Cozad of Wheatland, Wyo., remained free on $30,000 bond on suspicion of second-degree assault. Weld County prosecutors said they have until Sept. 22 to formally charge him.
Cozad is accused of stabbing starting punter Rafael Mendoza in the back of his kicking leg Monday night outside Mendoza's apartment in nearby Evans. Mendoza was treated and released from the hospital, but will miss Saturday's game at Texas State.
"I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support," Mendoza said Thursday in a statement released by the school. "I want everyone to know I am doing well and recovering."
Mendoza surprised teammates by showing up to a special teams meeting before Thursday's practice. He was in town to receive treatment on his injury.
"The team loved it," UNC coach Scott Downing said. "They gave him a standing ovation when he came into the room."
Cozad has been suspended from the university and evicted from his dorm room. He has not spoken publicly about the incident. Weld County officials said he has been granted permission to stay at his mother's home in Wheatland, where no one answered the door Thursday.
The 3 1/2-page arrest affidavit outlined a plot that had taken shape over at least a week and included reference to a second suspect, though none has been publicly identified by police.
Evans police Lt. Gary Kessler did not return messages seeking comment.
Fellow kicker David Dyches said in the affidavit that Cozad "had extreme hatred, competition, and jealousy for Mendoza and his number one punting position on the UNC football team." In the affidavit, kicker Michael York told police he provided Mendoza's address to Cozad last week, thinking he was interested in a rental apartment.
Angela Vogel, a friend of Cozad's, was quoted in the affidavit saying she was asked to lie to authorities and the suspect's mother about his whereabouts on Monday night.
As she spoke with police Tuesday, Cozad was allegedly text messaging her and leaving phone messages asking her things such as, "What did you say?," according to the affidavit.
Mendoza had spotted a suspicious man in his parking lot last Thursday, and he sped into his apartment. Then, on Monday, he was returning home from study hall and was jumped from behind.
According to the affidavit, Mendoza was stabbed while he was on the ground and suffered a 1-inch puncture wound, 3 to 5 inches deep. He described the suspect as a man dressed in black sweat pants and a black hooded sweatshirt cinched together to reveal only the eyes; police say they have recovered a similar sweatshirt from Cozad's apartment.
Later that evening, a liquor store employee called police and said two men were removing tape from the front and rear license plates of a car in the parking lot. Once removed, the employee saw the license plate number read "8-KIKR," helping lead police to the Cozad family, according to the affidavit.
No details of a second suspect have been disclosed by authorities.
Downing said he's not sure when Mendoza would return, but it could be at least two weeks away.
"I asked him and (he said) he'd be back tomorrow," Downing said with a laugh. "He'd be punting on crutches.
"It was nice. A majority went up to him and said, 'Hi, how are you doing?' I think it helps him to know that not only do the guys think about him, but the guys are happy to have him around."
