Syracuse center Fab Melo has been arraigned on fourth degree criminal mischief charges, and Police Sergeant Tom Connellan confirmed to The Fizz that the charges stem from a domestic incident with his girlfriend, who is also a student at Syracuse University. Connellan also told The Fizz an investigation into more charges is ongoing.
On the surface, today’s report doesn’t appear terribly serious. It’s a misdemeanor charge and Syracuse.com reports that Melo merely caused damage to her car. “Melo is accused of reaching through the open driver’s side window of a 2003 Chevrolet Impala, and breaking the turn signal control arm making the turn signal, headlight high beam control and windshield wiper control inoperable.”
But when The Fizz asked if there were any other details of the incident or whether Melo had physically laid hands on the woman who now has a protection order against him, Connellan said, “that is part of an ongoing police investigation.”
The Fizz confirmed through the Syracuse Police Department that the incident occurred on May 30th,¬†but was not reported until the next day.¬†The incident was, according to Connellan,¬†“brought to the attention of the District Attorney’s office, who referred it to Syracuse Police.” Melo, who lives on Syracuse University’s Slocum Heights neighborhood of South Campus, will be back in a¬†Domestic Violence Court on June 14th.
When asked by The Fizz if there had been any previous incidents regarding Melo and his girlfriend, Connellan would only say this is “the first time it’s been brought to us.” He said that the investigation into the incident¬†has no timetable,¬†and, with regards to a full police report, added “when it happens, it happens.”
Orange 44 has a detailed recap of the current charges against Melo. It’s surmised domestic violence court is not a place for mediation, but punishment.
Melo sat a stretch of games after missing practice this season for an undisclosed “family problem.”¬†Let’s hope the charges end here for Fab and the investigation does not reveal any more serious harm caused by the center, nor a history of aggression towards his girlfriend. You break a turn-signal, fine. You have a tendency of domestic aggression, Syracuse fans and administration don’t have much patience for you.
Reporting: Ted Conroy
