Prechae Rodriguez, a former Auburn football player, has been released on bond following his arrest earlier this week in connection with an incident involving a 9-year-old student at a Florida school where he was employed.
The 39-year-old Rodriguez faces one charge of child abuse after allegedly striking a non-verbal autistic student at the Eisenhower Exceptional Center in Gibsonton, Fla., located near Tampa. Rodriguez held the position of behavior support specialist at the school.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the incident occurred on February 8th. Allegedly, the student struck Rodriguez with his hand, prompting Rodriguez to respond by punching the child, causing him to fall to the floor.
Following an investigation, Rodriguez was arrested on Monday afternoon at his residence in Sun City Center, Fla. He was released early Tuesday on a $2,500 surety bond, as per records from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office online.
WFLA-TV reported that Rodriguez was dismissed from his position at the school.
The Hillsborough County School District released a statement to the station, stating, “Mr. Rodriguez was removed from the school while the investigation was ongoing and has now been terminated from the school district. We are deeply disturbed by the charges. The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority.”
A native of Tampa, Rodriguez played for Auburn from 2005-2007 after a year in junior college. He is best remembered for catching the decisive touchdown pass in the third quarter of the Tigers’ 22-15 victory over Alabama in the 2006 Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa.
Although Rodriguez did not have a notable career in the NFL, he played professionally for several years in the Canadian Football League and with various indoor league teams. His most recent stint was in 2016 with his hometown team, the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League.
