KLH75287
04-16-2005, 08:16 PM
Former Panther star charged with ****
By ASHLEY COOK, The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, April 16, 2005
A former Lufkin Panthers football standout who became a redshirt freshman linebacker for Kansas State University lost his full scholarship three months before being charged last week with raping a woman in the dorm where he lived, according to a university official and reports from a Kansas City TV news station.
Aaron Darks, 19, turned himself in to university police Saturday, April 9, in Manhattan, Kan., one day after the alleged ****. Darks appeared in court Monday and was later released on a $25,000 bond, according to information from media reports and a Riley County jail official.
Darks lost the scholarship Jan. 11 after being kicked off the Wildcats for violating team rules, according to Garry Bowman, university sports information director. Bowman would not elaborate on what rule Darks had broken.
Darks was still listed as a student, Bowman said. But Darks filed a request to withdraw from classes earlier in the semester, according to a official cited in a story on the KCTV5 Web site.
The Riley County attorney's office is handling the case. County Attorney Barry Wilkerson did not return calls to his office Friday.
Darks was a three-year starter at linebacker for the Lufkin Panthers. He made a name for himself during his sophomore season in 2001 as he played a major role in the Panthers' Class 5A Division II state championship.
During his junior year, he recorded 65 tackles, nine of those for losses, including four sacks.
Before his senior season, Darks was named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Super Team as a linebacker. He finished the year with 66 tackles, including 16 for losses, and five sacks. Lufkin spent much of the season as the No. 1 team in the state but was knocked out of the playoffs in the opening round.
His accomplishments on the field gave him the opportunity to earn a scholarship to Kansas State before the 2004 season.
Ashley Cook's e-mail address is acook@coxnews.com. Staff writer Josh Havard contributed to this story.
By ASHLEY COOK, The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, April 16, 2005
A former Lufkin Panthers football standout who became a redshirt freshman linebacker for Kansas State University lost his full scholarship three months before being charged last week with raping a woman in the dorm where he lived, according to a university official and reports from a Kansas City TV news station.
Aaron Darks, 19, turned himself in to university police Saturday, April 9, in Manhattan, Kan., one day after the alleged ****. Darks appeared in court Monday and was later released on a $25,000 bond, according to information from media reports and a Riley County jail official.
Darks lost the scholarship Jan. 11 after being kicked off the Wildcats for violating team rules, according to Garry Bowman, university sports information director. Bowman would not elaborate on what rule Darks had broken.
Darks was still listed as a student, Bowman said. But Darks filed a request to withdraw from classes earlier in the semester, according to a official cited in a story on the KCTV5 Web site.
The Riley County attorney's office is handling the case. County Attorney Barry Wilkerson did not return calls to his office Friday.
Darks was a three-year starter at linebacker for the Lufkin Panthers. He made a name for himself during his sophomore season in 2001 as he played a major role in the Panthers' Class 5A Division II state championship.
During his junior year, he recorded 65 tackles, nine of those for losses, including four sacks.
Before his senior season, Darks was named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Super Team as a linebacker. He finished the year with 66 tackles, including 16 for losses, and five sacks. Lufkin spent much of the season as the No. 1 team in the state but was knocked out of the playoffs in the opening round.
His accomplishments on the field gave him the opportunity to earn a scholarship to Kansas State before the 2004 season.
Ashley Cook's e-mail address is acook@coxnews.com. Staff writer Josh Havard contributed to this story.