Miami Dolphins defensive back Jonathon Amaya was arrested and charged with battery early Monday morning after he tried to choke a cab driver, Miami Beach Police say.
According to a police report, Amaya was arrested around 4:30 a.m. outside Club Bamboo in Miami Beach following an altercation witnessed by two off-duty police officers.
Amaya offered the driver $100 to drive him from Miami Beach to Weston, Fla., the report said. The driver told police Amaya became "aggressive" during the trip, prompting the driver to return him back to his original location. When the driver told Amaya to get out of the car, Amaya leaned forward and wrapped his hands around the driver's neck and started choking him. Off-duty officers saw the taxi driving erratically and heard the driver scream "this man is trying to kill me."
Police detained Amaya and later took him into custody, the report said.
"We are aware of the situation and are in the process of gathering information," Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said.
The arrest came hours after the Dolphins' 24-21 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Amaya was signed by the Dolphins in 2010 as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
