Woman tells police she lied about Davon Durant assault

Arizona State's Davon Durant remains suspended after domestic violence assault arrest

The woman who accused Arizona State linebacker Davon Durant of assault and domestic violence told ESPN that she lied about the incident to police.

Durant remains suspended indefinitely by the school after he was arrested on March 7, according to AZCentral.

Tempe, Ariz., police said Durant was arrested on March 7 on allegations of domestic violence and aggravated assault. As of now, Durant has a preliminary hearing on March 18 and faces charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated assault.

Durant was arrested after witnesses told police a man struck a woman while they were sitting in an SUV.

"When I lied to the police, it was out of spite," Arizona State student Kelsi Langley, who is Durant's girlfriend, said to ESPN.com. "I wasn't thinking. It was a very vengeful and spiteful thing to do."

According to AZCentral, Durant told authorities that he was having an argument with Langley in the vehicle. Langley told police that Durant hit her in the face and grabbed her neck. The officer that responded to the scene reported that Durant's girlfriend had visible injuries, including a bruise below her left eye and bruising around her neck that was consistent with finger marks.

Langley said that the bruises on her neck were "hickeys" and went to police to change her story.

A spokesman for the Tempe, Ariz. police department confirmed that Langley lied about the initial incident. "However, because we have independent witnesses that witnessed the assault on her and the bruising and injuries to her face and neck, [Durant] was still arrested and charged," Tempe Public Information Officer Michael Pooley said, according to ESPN.

Durant, a 2015 four-star junior college recruit, enrolled early in the school and was eligible to participate in spring practice. According to AZCentral, he was removed from the spring roster following his arrest and is not participating in any team-related activities.

Arizona State head coach Todd Graham told Fox Sports that team policy mandates Durant remain suspended while the team allows state and school legal processes to play out.

"We owe it to our guys for the process to play itself out," Graham said. "If you're guilty, you're going to be punished to the fullest. You deserve due process to gather all the facts."

- Molly Geary and Scooby Axson