It was Chris Canty the draft prospect that took the bar bottle to the grill. 50 stitches is a LOT.
Canty attacked at Ariz. bar
By Andy Bitter / Lynchburg News & Advance
February 11, 2005
Former Virginia defensive lineman Chris Canty is recovering after requiring 50 stitches to close wounds around his left eye after being hit across the face with an unknown object at a Scottsdale, Ariz., night club nearly two weeks ago.
Canty, whose UVa career was cut short when he dislocated his left knee against Syracuse in September, was prepping for upcoming NFL workouts in close proximity to his Arizona-based agents Ethan Lock and Eric Metz.
Neither the knee nor eye injury are expected to affect Canty's plans for the NFL Combine to be held Feb. 23-March 1 in Indianapolis.
According to a report obtained from the Scottsdale Police Department on Thursday, Canty was released from Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn hospital on Monday, Jan. 31 with various cuts to and around his left eye. The injuries required him to wear an eye patch initially, though Lock said Canty no longer needs to wear it.
"He's doing a little better with (his eye)," Lock said. "It still has to heal more, but he's feeling a little better."
Canty and Virginia coach Al Groh were not available for comment. Calls to Canty's parents' home in Charlotte, N.C., were not returned.
According to the report, Canty and an unidentified friend arrived at the club Axis-Radius around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29. Around 1 a.m., the two tried to make their way to the lower level of the club.
As they did, Canty accidentally brushed against someone sitting at the bar. The individual immediately got off his chair and waved a small flashlight in Canty's face. Both parties exchanged profanities before Canty and his friend continued through the crowd.
About 10 minutes later while standing in a breezeway located in the rear of the club, Canty was hit with what he figured was a bottle in the upper left eye socket, temple, cheek and forehead area. Canty did not see the individual and said in the report that he thought the assailant attacked him from behind.
Canty was taken to the hospital and required 50 stitches. The wounds described in the report were a cut under the left eye that runs past the check bone, a cut on the left eye lid, two cuts at the temple, one running above the eye and another running up into the forehead. His eye also was cut.
Canty was released from the hospital early on Monday and on Tuesday, Feb. 1, with Lock in attendance, filed a delayed aggravated assault report.
At the time of the report, there were no suspects or witnesses, but, Lock said, "the (police officer) that came was not a guy that was at the bar that night, so he might not have known what the other research had shown by people that responded."
A Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputy was at the scene, the report said, but Canty did not request a report be taken at that time.
"We never heard anything again from the police," said Lock, who flew to Arizona Thursday after spending time at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. "We just said we were going to turn this over to the police and whatever happens happens. I don't know what they've done. I don't know what they've found."
Canty's plans for the NFL Combine remain unchanged. The 6-foot-7, 290-pounder planned to attend the combine at the Indianapolis Convention Center but not work out, though NFL team doctors are expected to look at both his knee and eye. Lock said Canty will have private workouts for teams, though nothing concrete has been scheduled.
Lock was encouraged by the progress of Canty's knee rehabilitation.
"His knee is great. It's way ahead of schedule," Lock said. "It's not going to be an issue."
While Canty's physical tools have never come into question by NFL scouts, his durability has, particularly after a college career during which he also broke his right leg and dislocated his left elbow. Whether or not this latest incident hurts his draft stock remains to be seen.
"I don't know the answer to that one," Lock said. "I hope not. Only time will tell."
