Luke Martinez waits to attempt a free throw in the home game against UC Santa Barbara early in the season. Martinez has been indefinitely suspended after an incident off-campus.
After accusations of aggravated assault and battery charges during a bar fight that took place in December, former senior Cowboy basketball guard Luke Martinez is approaching his initial arraignment date on March 6 at the state district court in Laramie.
The court date will require Martinez to enter a plea on his alleged charges in a hearing with Judge Jeffrey Donnell. Martinez is accused of kicking Parfait Nayigihugu, who was unconscious at the time, during a fight outside Laramie’s Buckhorn bar Dec. 30. The fight caused Martinez to fracture a bone in his hand, the initial reason for him taking a spot on the bench. However, according to a police affidavit, he did admit to the crime and now faces charges.
The judge allowed Martinez to be released on a $25,000 signature bond Jan. 15 according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Upon his release, he was required to meet three times a week with his attorney and a member of UW’s athletic department prior to his preliminary hearing, which was supposed to be held on Jan. 28. The hearing was waived in Circuit Court and was bound over to Second Judicial Court, according to reports from the Associated Press.
While he has been indefinitely suspended from Wyoming’s basketball team, he is still enrolled as a full-time student at UW. Depending on the course his trial takes, Martinez could be looking at a jail sentence that could foil his plans after graduation.
As the whole ordeal has Martinez shaken, the loss of a very talented player for the Cowboys team also has been quite damaging. Averaging 14.5 points per game prior to his suspension, the men’s basketball team has seen more losses than they anticipated having in its entire season. With his absence from the team, seniors Leonard Washington and Derrious Gilmore lead the team with their seniority.
Martinez excelled in his abilities on the court. He was selected as a Mountain West Student Athlete based on his performances on the court and in the classroom. He broke several records, was recognized for being a top three-shooter in the MW conference and was named the MVP for the Jim Thorpe Classic in his 2011-12 season.
