Isaiah Buggs Accused Of Pushing TPD Chief In April; Facing Other Pending Charges

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A public records request submitted by Tuscaloosa Patch to the City of Tuscaloosa has revealed that former Alabama defensive lineman and Super Bowl LVIII champion Isaiah Buggs has other pending criminal cases in the city's municipal court.

This includes an accusation that he physically assaulted Tuscaloosa's chief of police during an arrest in April.

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This comes after Tuscaloosa Patch was first to report that a civil petition filed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa County District Court shows that Buggs is facing two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals after two neglected dogs were found at a Tuscaloosa residence he was renting.

The municipal court documents obtained by Patch show Buggs facing accusations of menacing, assault and city code infractions at his business — Kings Hookah Lounge on Greensboro Avenue.

In terms of the accusations against the business by city code enforcement, they include operating without a business license, overcrowding and failure to pay city sales tax.

Indeed, on April 14, TPD responded to the hookah lounge during patrols due to an overcrowded parking lot.

The arrest report says that when officers approached the door of the business and observed a large group of people inside, it was noted that the maximum fire capacity for the establishment is 83 and 283 individuals were counted inside at once.

Police made contact with Buggs once the building was cleared out and gave him a city citation for overcrowding. However, while waiting for verification, Buggs allegedly became irate that officers were standing with him and was seen pacing back and forth.

He was also raising his voice and was heard saying "these boys better not touch me" and "I'm not going in handcuffs."

Buggs then reportedly exited the business through the front door away from TPD officers and walked toward 38th Street before officers advised him that he was not free to go.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley was at the scene at that time and attempted to talk Buggs back into the business.

Blankey then was said to have placed a hand on Buggs' shoulder to escort him back inside, but Buggs turned around and shoved Blankley into several Officers.

"A scuffle ensued and it took several officers to place Buggs into handcuffs due to his lack of cooperation," the arrest report reads. "Neither Buggs nor any officers were injured during the incident."

Buggs was then taken into custody and transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail. His bond was set at $1,600 and he was released shortly thereafter.

One arrest report filed less than two weeks later by TPD on April 23 also says that Buggs and his brother were at the hookah lounge when a verbal altercation began with Jamira Jackson, which saw Buggs' brother, Detarion, throw a cup at the woman's car.

The cup allegedly bounced off the car and hit Jackson in the face, leaving a mark under one of her eyes.

The report says one of the suspects got mad because he thought Jackson was rolling her eyes at him, before Detarion Buggs allegedly said "alright I got something for that" and pushed Jackson.

TPD said Isaiah Buggs had his handgun on him and his brother also went to his car and got his pistol. At this point, the woman said Isaiah Buggs pointed his black handgun at the car, while his brother cocked his gun and also pointed it at the car.

The woman told police that Detarion Buggs yelled "Get the f-ck in the car, I said leave," to which she complied and filed a report with TPD later that night.

Buggs, 27, is also expected to face misdemeanor criminal charges for animal cruelty after a civil petition filed in Tuscaloosa County District Court Wednesday said TPD on March 28 received information of two dogs being left on the back porch of 5153 Diamond Circle.

The petition goes on to say that when TPD and the City of Tuscaloosa's Animal Control officers arrived, they found a grey and white pitbull on the screened-in back porch surrounded in feces, with no access to food or water.

What's more, those responding reported finding a black Rottweiler mix locked in a metal cage in direct sunlight with no access to food or water.

The petition said the dogs were seized on March 28 due to both being severely "malnourished, emaciated and neglected."

The residence also appeared to be abandoned at the time of the initial call, the petition said.

A neighbor also told police that the dogs had been on the back porch for at least 10 days.
Investigators found that the house, which is owned by Omega Reality Group, was being rented to Buggs, who reportedly owns Kings Hookah Lounge on Greensboro Avenue in Tuscaloosa.

Police also reported that his lease was terminated on April 15 due to owing $3,116.90 in back rent, with witnesses saying that Buggs had moved out of the house on or about March 19.

The pitbull was euthanized in April by Tuscaloosa County Metro Animal Shelter after becoming increasingly aggressive and failing heartworm treatment at the shelter.

The civil petition against Buggs says the black Rottweiler mix tested positive for Parvo and only weighed 52 pounds when it arrived at the shelter — a dangerously low weight for that kind of dog breed.

The Rottweiler is still in the care of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Animal Shelter and pending a ruling in court over whether Buggs should be allowed to own it or any other animals.

Authorities then reportedly tried to get in touch with Buggs on March 28, but were unsuccessful and the petition says as of Wednesday that two misdemeanor warrants have been obtained for second-degree cruelty to dogs or cats.

The petition asks the court to set a hearing date within the next 10 days to determine whether Buggs is fit to have custody of the surviving dog.

Buggs' agent Trey Robinson in a statement to ESPN said that his client denies the allegations and said Buggs does not condone the mistreatment of any animal.

"The dogs at issue did not belong to him and he was unaware they remained at the property in question," Robinson said. "Furthermore, we believe the City of Tuscaloosa's decision to file the charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs' name and reputation as part of an on-going subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge."

Robinson went on to claim that the efforts to smear Buggs are not new, following his arrest on the two previously mentioned occasions at his business.

"[B]ut each time no public record was made of these arrests," he said. "Rather, the City used the threat of pursuing and publicizing both the allegations filed today and these arrests as leverage against Mr. Buggs by offering to drop and not pursue them in exchange for his voluntary surrender of his business license. Mr. Buggs declined the City's offer as he has serious concerns about the City's and Police Department's motivation for deciding to target his business, which he plans to bring to light as part of his defense of the allegations and charges filed against him and his reputation and business."

Buggs, whose current address as mentioned as a residence on Joshua Street in Northport, was a primary contributor on Alabama's 2018 national championship team and was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs when they won Super Bowl LVIII earlier this year.

Buggs was signed to the Chiefs' practice squad in 2023 ahead of the Super Bowl run and signed a reserve/future contract with the team in February.

Originally from Ruston, Louisiana and drafted in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buggs has also played for Las Vegas Raiders and the Detroit Lions.

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