Ex-Ohio State Long Snapper Michael Roen McCullough Charged with Strangulation After Alleged Assault

Michael Roen McCullough, a former Ohio State long snapper, was arrested and charged with a felony count of strangulation after Columbus police said a woman he was with suffered a black eye and bruises to her throat following an alleged domestic assault.

Columbus police responded to a report of domestic violence on the evening of Aug. 29 and interviewed the woman, who described an incident that she said occurred the previous morning. According to court records cited in news reports, the woman told officers that she and McCullough had been driving home at about 9:30 a.m. when an argument began that escalated into physical violence.

The woman told police that McCullough broke her phone, struck her in the face several times, grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against a vehicle window, according to the court documents. She said she did not recall the remainder of the drive home until she regained consciousness after arriving at their destination. The injuries she described included a black eye and bruising around her throat.

Police booked McCullough into the Franklin County Jail following the Aug. 29 call. He is charged with one felony count of strangulation. Court records and local reporting did not indicate whether he has been formally arraigned or entered a plea.

McCullough played as a long snapper for Ohio State. The Columbus-area arrest marks a departure from his public profile as a former collegiate athlete and places him at the center of a criminal investigation. Law enforcement and prosecutors typically do not release additional details while cases are active; the records cited by media provide the primary public account of the alleged incident.

The alleged assault was initially reported to police during an evening check of a domestic-violence complaint, and investigators reconstructed the sequence of events from the woman’s account and court paperwork. The documents indicate the assault occurred in the morning hours and culminated in injuries that prompted the later police response. The charging document alleges that the physical contact included both blows to the face and manual strangulation.

A mugshot released following McCullough’s booking appears in local media coverage and court filings. The photograph is part of the public record created when someone is processed into county custody and has been published by multiple outlets reporting on the case.

Domestic violence allegations and strangulation charges carry significant legal consequences and often prompt investigations that include interviews, medical examinations and review of physical evidence. Prosecutors rely on victim statements, physical findings and any available third-party observations or electronic records when deciding whether to pursue felony charges. The documents in McCullough’s case, as described in news reports, formed the basis for the single felony strangulation charge filed against him.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police make arrest and booking records available to the public, and media outlets obtained the court paperwork that outlines the victim’s account. Those records are the principal source for the timeline and specifics now in the public record. Additional details about the case will likely emerge as court proceedings move forward and authorities release further information.

McCullough’s former affiliation with Ohio State has been noted in media coverage as part of identifying him to the public. Beyond that affiliation, news reports have not detailed his current employment or residence. The university and its athletics program typically do not comment on matters involving alumni unless they are directly connected to the institution.

Criminal prosecutions for alleged strangulation and other domestic violence offenses proceed through the county court system. If prosecutors pursue the case, it will move through arraignment, pretrial proceedings and, if not resolved by plea, trial. Victims in such cases may receive services through victim-advocacy programs and law enforcement victim-assistance units.

As of the latest reports, McCullough remains charged but not convicted. No statement from his legal counsel was included in initial media accounts, and public records did not list a scheduled court hearing date. The Columbus Division of Police referred questions about an ongoing investigation to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office; that office customarily handles policies and filings for felony domestic violence cases and will determine whether additional charges are warranted.

The case adds to national media attention when former collegiate athletes face criminal allegations, particularly those involving domestic violence. Reporters covering the incident have relied on court documents and booking records to compile accounts of what law enforcement alleges occurred. Prosecutors must establish the allegations in court, where defendants are afforded the opportunity to respond to charges through counsel, pretrial motions and other legal processes.

Further updates will depend on filings in the Franklin County court system and official releases from law-enforcement agencies. Public records requests and courtroom proceedings typically provide the most direct route to additional facts, including any statements by the defendant, victim-impact information, medical reports and any surveillance or electronic evidence introduced by investigators.

Media outlets first reported the arrest after police and court records became available. The incident is under active review by local authorities, and McCullough’s case will proceed through the judicial process in Franklin County, where the alleged offenses occurred.