Pahokee's Latest Football Superstar Tased, Arrested in Gainesville

Back in January, we brought you the story of Janoris Jenkins, the latest in a staggering list of football superstars to emerge from the small towns around Lake Okeechobee, about 80 miles northwest of Miami. Like Fred Taylor and Anquan Boldin before him, Jenkins joined the pantheon of football greats...

By Tim Elfrink

June 2, 2009

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Back in January, we brought you the story of Janoris Jenkins, the latest in a staggering list of football superstars to emerge from the small towns around Lake Okeechobee, about 80 miles northwest of Miami.

Like Fred Taylor and Anquan Boldin before him, Jenkins joined the pantheon of football greats from Pahokee and its Muck Bowl rival, Belle Glade, when he started all season for the Florida Gators as a true freshman at cornerback.

As of this weekend, it looks like Jenkins has joined another, less auspicious list: the ever-growing number of Gators arrested in the last four years, as UF does its best to become the state's new Thug U.

Police arrested Jenkins in Gainesville over the weekend after breaking up a bar fight over the football star's chain necklace. Jenkins allegedly threw a punch after an officer told him to stop and was tased for his efforts. He also ran away from the cops, the Orlando Sentinel reports, but was arrested less than two blocks away.

Jenkins' attorney classified the arrest as a "very minor incident" and said he expected it to be dismissed without any jail-time.

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Tim Elfrink is a former investigative reporter and managing editor for Miami New Times. He has won the George Polk Award and was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.

Contact: Tim Elfrink

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Twitter: @timelfrinkmia