TAMPA, Fla. — Authorities in west-central Florida have issued an arrest warrant for Detroit Lions defensive back Cameron Sutton related to an alleged domestic violence issue earlier this month.
According to a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Sutton, 29, a Jonesboro, Georgia, native who is entering his seventh season in the NFL, is wanted for domestic battery by strangulation.
Phil Martello, a sheriff’s office spokesperson, said that deputies responded to Sutton’s home in the north Tampa suburb of Lutz at 4:53 a.m. on March 7, the Tampa Bay Times reported. When deputies arrived, they discovered a woman who “had been battered,” according to the newspaper.
Sutton left the home before authorities arrived, and repeated attempts to reach him by phone have been unsuccessful, Martello said. Sutton has not returned to the home or another he owns in neighboring Pinellas County.
“We served his warrant on (March 7) because of all the evidence that we found there,” Martello told the Detroit Free Press. “Couldn’t find him here in Tampa, pretty sure he fled. We got a couple hits on his license plate (on) license plate readers, but haven’t been able to track him down here, so that’s where we’re at right now.
“They’ve attempted to make contact with him, can’t get him on the phone, so they’ve released -- our detectives have exhausted everything to try and get ahold of him and that’s why we end up putting the stuff on social media.”
According to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sutton played six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He joined Detroit last year as an unrestricted free agent after signing a three-year, $33 million contract, The Associated Press reported.
Sutton started all 17 regular-season games for the Lions, helping the team reach the NFC Championship Game. He made 65 tackles and had one interception, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com.
“We became aware of the ongoing legal situation involving Cam Sutton this morning,” the Lions said in a statement on Wednesday. “We will continue to monitor the situation and will not have further comment at this time.”
Sutton’s attorney, Jason Setchen, did not immediately return a message from the Free Press seeking comment.