Penn State football player Jerome Hayes, one of six athletes charged Friday in connection with an April 1 assault in a downtown apartment, told State College police the scene shortly after midnight inside the residence was "crazy" and "like a brawl," according to court documents.

"There was chaos for five straight minutes," documents indicate that Hayes told police. "Three to five minutes of total craziness, people everywhere."

Hayes was charged Friday morning along with teammates Anthony Scirrotto, Justin King, Chris Baker, Lydell Sargeant and Tyrell Sales.

According to the criminal complaint, Hayes told police he was among 15 to 20 players that went to the Meridian II, 646 E. College Ave., third-floor apartment in response to an outside altercation that involved Scirrotto.

"You got to do what you got to do," Hayes told police, according to the documents. "We went down to protect."

Outside altercation

According to the complaint, Scirrotto and female friend Rachel Prinz were involved in an altercation with three men on the corner of College Avenue and High Street the evening of March 31.

Police said Penn State student Bernd H. Imle reported that Prinz kicked him in the groin. Imle told police that he shoved the woman and, according to a citation, threw a punch at Scirrotto, which "grazed his face." Police said Scirrotto pulled out his cell phone and Thomas D. Skalamera, another Penn State student, knocked it out of Scirrotto's hand.

Imle and Skalamera, who are not residents of the Meridian apartment, both received summary citations for their alleged involvement in the incident.

Team gathers

Following the altercation, Scirrotto followed the three men to Meridian II and watched them go to the third floor, according to police. He then called his brother, Derek, who brought two other men to the area around the Meridian, police said. All four men then went to a third-floor apartment and knocked on the door, according to the complaint.

The men were denied entrance to the party, but Anthony Scirrotto saw a man inside the apartment with whom he had the earlier confrontation, according to the complaint.

Scirrotto called Sargeant after being denied entrance, according to the criminal complaint. Scirrotto told police that numerous football players arrived after he made the phone call, according to the documents.

Hayes said Sargeant received a phone call while he was at fellow football player Brennan Coakley's Nittany Apartments residence between 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., according to police. Hayes said he had been drinking there, but had only one beer, according to the complaint. Baker, King, football players Knowledge Timmons, Deon Butler and Coakley, and a Penn State recruit and a few women were also at the apartment, according to court documents.

Hayes said Scirrotto told him that he was downtown with his girlfriend by Hooters Restaurant, according to the complaint. Scirrotto also told Hayes that a man pushed his girlfriend and three men attacked him, police said.

Hayes, Sales, Baker, King, Timmons and sophomore defensive end Tom Golarz then drove to Hooter's in Hayes' car to meet Scirrotto, police said. Butler and the recruit came down to the area, but both stayed at the nearby McDonald's, according to the complaint.

At the apartment

A police press release states that "a large group of males rushed into" the third-floor apartment shortly after midnight.

"I look over to the door and I see all these guys muscling their way in," apartment resident Kevin Sanders (sophomore-political science) told The Daily Collegian April 2, one day after the incident occurred. "I'm still sitting down [on a couch] at this point, like 'What is going on?' "

Larry Himes (junior-labor and industrial relations), another resident of the apartment, told police he yelled at the intruders to leave and said he was calling police. Himes called police at 12:18 a.m., according to the complaint. When he took the phone out, one of the intruders grabbed it and threw it across the room, police said.

When the group of men rushed in, they went after Imle and assaulted him, throwing him on a couch and punching him in the head and torso, police said. He was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where he was treated and released, according to the complaint. Imle later identified Baker as the person who punched his head and torso during the attack, police said.

Another partygoer, Penn State student John (Jack) Britt, was hit over the head with a beer bottle and knocked unconscious, police said. Partygoers told police that after Britt was knocked unconscious, he was repeatedly punched in the head, according to court documents. He was later transported to the hospital by ambulance, according to the complaint.

During the melee, Steve Keenan, a guest in the apartment, saw a friend on the floor and attempted to pick him up but was kicked in the face by an unidentified man, police said.

"The beating they were giving him was vicious; I feared for this kid's life," apartment resident Joseph McGarrity (sophomore-international politics) told the Collegian April 2.

Partygoer Thomas Walsh told police Baker had pushed him and was punching other people.

Baker, however, told police he wasn't involved in any fighting. Scirrotto also denied to police that he was involved in fighting. King told police he followed a group of 45 people into the building. He told police not all the people were football players and he had been in the apartment to try to get his friends out. He also told police that once everything had started, he felt there was no way to reverse it, so he left by himself, according to court documents.

Sargeant admitted to being in the apartment, but denied fighting, police said. Sales also told police he entered the apartment, but denied being involved in fighting.

Hayes told police he had been trying to get Scirrotto out of the apartment. Hayes saw fights going on in various parts of the apartment, according to police.

When the altercation ended, there was blood on the walls and on the carpet, apartment resident Sanders told the Collegian.

"We realized the whole confrontation should not have been," Hayes told police, according to the court documents. "I agree there was a better way to handle it."

Anthony Scirrotto
Safety, 6'0", 195 pounds

Scirrotto, a first-team All-Big Ten safety last fall, faces the most serious charges: burglary, criminal trespass, simple assault, harassment and two counts of criminal solicitation. He shined in 2006, leading the Big Ten in interceptions with six. He started every game at the hero spot and finished with 58 tackles. He passed up the opportunity to play professional baseball after graduating from West Depford (N.J.) High School.

Chris Baker
Defensive Tackle, 6'2", 305 pounds

Baker, who faces burglary, criminal trespass, simple assault, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and harassment charges, is a rising sophomore who was a reserve defensive lineman this spring. He played in eight games last season and had six tackles and, in 2005, he redshirted. He was one of the top linemen his senior season at Windsor (Conn.) High School.

Justin King
Cornerback, 6'0", 188 pounds

Perhaps the most recognizable name of the six facing charges, King was a second-team All-Big Ten cornerback in 2006. He started every game last year, finishing with 30 tackles and one interception. He entered Penn State as one of the most highly recruited athletes in recent memory and had a breakout freshman season. He faces charges of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and harassment.

Jerome Hayes
Linebacker, 6'2", 236 pounds

Hayes, one of the names mentioned in the battle for the third linebacker spot, impressed at this year's Blue-White game, finishing with 10 tackles from the inside. A rising sophomore, Hayes has been waiting to step into a prominent role after an impressive high school career. Hayes, who faces charges of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and harassment, was an All-American coming out Bayonne (N.J.) High School.

Lydell Sargeant
Cornerback, 5'10", 186 pounds

Sargeant, a rising junior, was predicted to see significant time at the cornerback spot along with A.J. Wallace next fall. As of spring practice, Sargeant figured to be the nickleback in passing situations. Sargeant played in 12 games last season and had one interception and five tackles in 2006. He faces charges of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and harassment.

Tyrell Sales
Linebacker, 6'2", 237 pounds

Along with Navorro Bowman, Sales was a leader in the competition for the third linebacker position. Sales, a rising junior, finished with a game-high 11 tackles in this year's Blue-White scrimmage. In 2006, he played in 13 games and had 17 tackles, and in 2005, he played in 12 games and had 19 tackles. Sales faces charges of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and harassment.