KU baseball player arrested after incident outside bar

Kansas University baseball player Buck Afenir was arrested early Thursday at a Lawrence bar around closing time.

The KU senior was booked into Douglas County Jail on charges of criminal damage to property and interfering with the duties of a law enforcement officer, according to a jail report. He was arrested by Lawrence Police around 2 a.m. at The Hawk, 1340 Ohio.

The baseball catcher, whose full name is Matthew Tye Afenir, is a psychology major from Escondido, Calif.

Lawrence Police were called to the bar at 1:55 a.m., after a witness reported seeing someone damage a parked vehicle and walk away from the scene, police said.

"When officers attempted to contact the suspect, he ran from the officers," Sgt. Bill Cory said. "After a brief foot chase, officers located the suspect hiding under a bush. Once located, the suspect became cooperative and was taken into custody without incident."

The right side mirror of a 2000 Mercury Cougar was broken during the incident, causing about $300 damage, a police report said. A 20-year-old employee of the bar was listed as the victim of the criminal damage charge. Afenir, 21, was suspected of using alcohol, a Lawrence police report said.

He was released from jail at 3:52 a.m. Thursday, on $200 bond.

The case has been referred to Lawrence Municipal Court, according to jail records, but hadn't been received by the court Friday morning, clerks said. Prosecutors haven't filed formal charges in the case.

KU athletics officials said they were aware of the incident.

"Buck is extremely remorseful about it, and Coach (Ritch) Price is handling it internally," said Jim Marchiony, KU associate athletics director.

Baseball