Safety facing felony charge

A University of Florida football player is facing a felony theft charge after police arrested him for removing a metal boot from his car.

Dorian Munroe, 19, a strong safety for the team, was accused of theft for taking a boot off of his 1987 black Mercedes last month, according to a UF Police Department arrest report.

The device, which is clamped onto a car's tire, is used on campus to disable a vehicle when the owner has failed to pay parking tickets or has had parking privileges denied, according to police.

The boot originally had been placed on the car on March 30, said UF Police spokesman Capt. Jeff Holcomb. But police became aware in mid-April that the boot was missing from the vehicle, which was then towed until someone came to claim it.

Holcomb said Munroe came in last week and told officers that he saw the boot on his vehicle. However, he said, it was "loose" so he pulled it off and put it inside the car's trunk. After being told his rights, Munroe declined to speak further with an investigator, according to the arrest report.

Once a boot is placed on a vehicle, it is not supposed to be removed except by officials, Holcomb said. He said he did not know why the boot originally was placed on Munroe's car.

A large sticker also is placed on the vehicle's windshield so the owner is aware of the boot and the rules regarding its removal, Holcomb said.

The boot, found in the Mercedes' truck, was valued at $385.

Munroe was released from jail on his own recognizance following his arrest, according to Alachua County court records.

There was no answer Tuesday afternoon at a home phone number listed for Munroe.

Lise Fisher can be reached at 352-374-5092 or fisherl@gvillesun.com.