It’s been a rough offseason for former Buffalo Bills as another name has ended up in the news thanks to an arrest. Mario Williams, former defensive end for the Bills, was arrested and charged with criminal trespass in the Houston suburb of Katy, Texas on Tuesday.
TMZ has a video of the incident in which Williams gained access to his ex-girlfriend’s home. TMZ’s report indicates that Williams admitted making a copy of the garage door opener that he used to gain entry. Williams allegedly was denied entry into the home by the unidentified woman when he was “banging on the front door of the apartment.”
From TMZ reports and the video they obtained, Williams appears angry that the woman had gained access to Williams’s iCloud account using an iPad owned by a child they have together. On video, Williams threatens to and does call police to report this allegation.
From KHOU.com it is being reported that Williams’s ex-girlfriend filed a restraining order against Williams in May. Their review of court documents also indicates that Williams will be required to undergo “a mental health or intellectual disability assessment.”
From the Texas penal code section 30.05, Williams’s recorded actions meet the criteria for criminal trespass. Per this code a person is guilty if he/she “enters or remains on or in property of another, including...a building...without effective consent.” The person must also have “had notice that the entry was forbidden” or “received notice to depart but failed to do so.” The garage door serves as a barrier that constitutes notice under this section and the audio recording captured Williams being told to leave multiple times.
Because the “building” is also considered a “habitation” in Texas, the attorney representing the state can request that this be treated as a class “A” misdemeanor. Ordinarily criminal trespass is prosecuted as a class “B.” The standard punishment if found guilty is a $2,000 fine and up to 180 days in jail. If argued as the higher class instead, the penalties are increased to maximums of $4,000 and one year in jail.
Williams was released after posting $100 bond and is set to appear in court on August 27.