A judge has issued a re-arrest order for Dennis Hernandez, a former UConn football player, as he failed to appear in court last week regarding charges related to an incident where he threw a brick at the ESPN campus in Bristol, Connecticut, Your Content has learned.
Hernandez, who was previously known as DJ Hernandez during his time as a quarterback and wide receiver at UConn in the mid-2000s, was initially arrested in March. According to the police, he arrived at ESPN in a vehicle, possibly an Uber, and tossed a bag containing a brick and a note over the fence onto the property before departing.
The note, retrieved by the police, included the following message: “To all media outlets, It’s about time you all realize the effect media has on all family members. Since you’re a world-wide leader, maybe you could lead in how media and messages are delivered, brick by brick. Clean it up! Yours truly, Dennis J. Hernandez.“
Scheduled for July 7, Hernandez was expected to enter a plea on a misdemeanor charge of breach of peace. However, he did not appear for the court hearing, as stated in court records.
No legal representation for Hernandez is mentioned in the records. Various email addresses associated with him did not immediately respond to messages, and a comment was sought from the public defender’s office but not received. Hernandez grew up in Bristol and had recently resided in Florida.
Dennis Hernandez’s younger brother, Aaron Hernandez, who played as a tight end for the New England Patriots, tragically took his own life in 2017 while serving a murder sentence in prison.
In March, the Bristol police received an anonymous complaint expressing concern about Dennis Hernandez. The complaint mentioned his intention to vandalize property at the state Capitol and ESPN.
ESPN has declined to comment further, except for stating in a released statement that they are cooperating with the police, according to U.S.News.