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SALT LAKE CITY — Less than two weeks after he was formally accused of damaging a police building and an officer's vehicle, suspended University of Utah wide receiver Cory Butler-Byrd entered into a plea in abeyance Monday.
The plea admits guilt but is accompanied by requirements that, if completed, will allow the case to be dismissed at a later date. Court documents in Butler-Byrd's case don't specify what those conditions are or provide a timeline for when the case could be dropped.
Butler-Byrd was charged Aug. 9 in 3rd District Court with class A misdemeanor criminal mischief for allegedly damaging a campus building and a police officer's vehicle on July 27.
Court documents say he threw "a piece of wood" at a window where the university's police department is headquartered, 1735 E. South Campus Drive. Butler-Byrd was also accused of jumping up and down on top of a patrol car, smashing its rear window and denting its roof.
Investigators also reported Butler-Byrd was preparing to throw a large sign when officers confronted him. He later admitted to "damaging the patrol vehicle and breaking the patrol room window," court documents say.
A restitution fund in the case has been set aside on behalf of University of Utah police. The total amount is $1,691.50 and it was unpaid as of Monday, according to court documents.
The senior wide receiver's suspension is indefinite, according to Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. Butler-Byrd is prohibited from team activities under the suspension but is still on scholarship.
Butler-Byrd, originally from Compton, California, started five games for Utah in 2015 and played in every contest. He contributed as a wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner.
Butler-Byrd has no significant criminal history in Utah, according to court records.
