Fullback Reagan Mauia Arrested

Dolphins fullback Reagan Mauia was arrested in Weston early Friday morning on simple battery charges, stemming from an altercation that took place outside the Carolina Ale House.

According to the Broward County Sheriff's office, Mauia, the Dolphins sixth-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, allegedly knocked one of the restaurant's patrons unconscious inside the parking lot before fleeing the scene.

The police report states Mauia approached a man and his girlfriend in the parking lot just before midnight.

Mauia asked the man, Michael Gianatassio, 27, "what the [expletive] he was looking at," the report states.

"Mauia became upset and said 'you should know' as he approached Gianatassio," said the police report. "All of a sudden, Mauia punched Gianatassio in the face with a closed fist."

The victim was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground, while Mauia drove away in a black Cadillac Escalade, according to police.

A witness used a cell phone to take a picture of the license plate and deputies tracked down Mauia at the address. Deputies arrived at the Ale House and found Gianatassio on the ground, bleeding from the mouth. He was taken to Broward General Hospital for treatment.

Once confronted, Mauia denied being at the sports bar, officials said. The same witness that took the picture of the license plate positively identified him as the attacker, and Mauia was arrested.

Mauia, 23, was bonded out for $1,000 at 10:31 a.m. and faces a first-degree misdemeanor. He could face up to a year in jail, and fined up to $1,000 if found guilty.

"We are aware of the situation regarding Reagan earlier today. We will withhold any further comment because we are in the process of gathering more information," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said in a team statement.

Last season Mauia started nine games for the Dolphins. His primary role was as a lead blocker, but Mauia also caught two passes for 5 yards, and carried the ball four times, gaining another 5 yards.

This offseason the Dolphins have added former Kansas City Chiefs fullback Boomer Grigsby to compete with Mauia in training camp, and will likely add another fullback before camp opens in July to increase depth.

This is the third instance this offseason a Dolphins player has had a brush with the law.

In February, defensive end Matt Roth was arrested in Iowa for public intoxication. He has since paid a fine for the infraction.

Linebacker Channing Crowder's truck was found smashed into a tree and abandoned on the Florida Turnpike near Hollywood Boulevard back in January. Crowder was issued a citation for careless driving -a moving infraction - and leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, which is a second-degree misdemeanor.