LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — Former Husker football interim head coach Mickey Joseph, 54, was arrested Wednesday after allegations that he strangled and punched a 34-year-old woman at his residence in Lincoln.
He appeared in court for the first time on Thursday in Lancaster County via video call. The Judge set bond at 10% of $20,000. Joseph was released from jail hours later after paying the required $2,000.
A condition of the bond is that he has no contact with the alleged victim and that he stays away from his residential address.
Joseph's next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 30.
Joseph, who served as interim Husker head football coach for nine games this season, is charged with one felony count of assault by strangulation.
An affidavit for arrest was recently released and contains allegations of what happened during the incident, according to the alleged victim and a witness.
Some of the information contained in the report could be considered disturbing.
Mickey Joseph and a woman in his home had an argument on Wednesday when, according to allegations in the affidavit, Mickey pushed her onto the couch, got on top of her and choked her around her neck.
Moments later he pulled her hair, she fell backward, and punched her in the face in the process, police said.
She then told police he attempted to flush her phone down the toilet.
A witness, the woman's brother, told a similar story to police.
Joseph was later arrested in a south Lincoln neighborhood not far from his home.
In the affidavit, police say Joseph denied striking the alleged victim in the face or grabbing her hair.
Joseph’s job status is still up in the air. New Husker Head Coach Matt Rhule initially expressed some interest in hiring him and he reportedly was in the running for other head coaching jobs.
NU Athletic Director Trev Alberts put Joseph on administrative leave Wednesday.
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