YSU football player charged with felony vandalism

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -

A Youngstown State University football player is facing a felony charge of vandalism for damage to a sprinkler system.

Witnesses say 20-year-old Michael Wheary of Lakeland, Florida was having a verbal argument with his girlfriend Sunday night, when he punched two holes in the wall at his room in Wick Oval Courtyard Apartments.

The wall was directly underneath a sprinkler system and YSU police say the force of Wheary's blows had appeared to have cracked a pipe in the system. Water poured from the apartment room, causing what police called more than $7,000 worth of "serious damage" to light fixtures, walls, carpeting and personal property of other renters in the complex.

Wheary, a junior, has been dismissed from the football team

Our print partner the Vindicator is reporting that the flooding caused approximately 90,000 in damages and that he is suspended from living in any university house while the case is under investigation.

Wheary was arraigned by video on Tuesday at Youngstown Municipal Court. Bond was set at 10 percent of $2,500.

Wheary has a preliminary hearing scheduled on November 20 at 10:00 a.m.

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YSU football player charged with felony vandalism