JHU Lax player arrested

Johns Hopkins sophomore and lacrosse star Greg Peyser has been formally charged with second-degree assault for his role in a late-night brawl.

The brawl, involving multiple parties, occurred early Sunday morning, culminating in two students needing medical attention, Peyser's arrest and the arrest of his younger sibling, Stephen, a high school senior, for obstructing the investigation of a police officer.

The arrests occurred at 3:45 a.m. in front of Wolman Hall. According to Detective Donnie Moses, a public information officer with the Baltimore Police Department, the official police report read, "Mr. Peyser was involved in the altercation. Security guards observed Mr. Peyser head-butt another person involved. At the time Mr. Peyser was taken into custody, [he] was charged with assaulting in the second degree."

Moses added that second-degree assault constitutes a body-on-body assault. In the State of Maryland the charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine, in accordance with the Maryland annotative code.

Peyser could not comment on the matter.

The younger Peyser was taken into custody during his older brother's arrest. Moses said, "In the process of arresting [Greg Peyser], the officers were surrounded by three other individuals who were extremely hostile and were trying to find out why the officers were locking their brother up. After several warnings to leave the area, one of the other individuals - a 17 year-old white male, his younger brother - was taken into custody." Moses believes that two of the three individuals were siblings of Peyser.

The brawl allegedly began near the Royal Farms convenience store at 33rd and Saint Paul streets. Multiple individuals were involved in the melee. It occurred around 3 a.m., which is when Hopkins Security and Baltimore Police responded to a large crowd in the vicinity.

An underage undergraduate was taken to Union Memorial Hospital for treatment of a "lacerated forehead sustained during an altercation with a second undergraduate," according to a Hopkins security report. At 3:38 a.m., a second undergraduate was treated at Union Memorial hospital for a nose injury sustained during the assault. It is unclear if Peyser is responsible for either of these injuries. By 3:45 a.m., Peyser had been taken into custody.

The men's lacrosse team will be handling this matter internally. Ernie Larossa, associate director of athletics, has stated that this is a clear violation of a team policy and will be dealt with by the coaching staff accordingly. Speaking on behalf of the athletics staff, Larossa is confident that the team's policies and practices will be just.

Men's Lacrosse head coach Dave Pietramala could not be reached for comment.

Peyser is a second-year star on the lacrosse team. A member of the second-line midfield this season, Peyser is eighth on the team in total points with 11, consisting of five goals and six assists. His greatest impact this season has been winning face-offs. Peyser has consistently been one of the best in the nation in face-off percentage.

The younger Peyser is a senior midfielder at Cold Spring Harbor High School in New York. Last year he was named an honorable mention All-American in lacrosse.