Advertisement

Ex-Plant QB Robert Marve arrested on domestic battery complaint

Marve is accused of striking a Brandon woman and stomping on her throat.
 
Robert Marve turned himself in to the Orient Road Jail on Friday morning. (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)
Robert Marve turned himself in to the Orient Road Jail on Friday morning. (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)
Published July 13, 2018|Updated July 14, 2018

TAMPA — Former Plant High and University of Miami quarterback Robert Marve was arrested Friday morning in Hillsborough County, accused of striking his ex-girlfriend and stomping on her throat in Key West.

Marve turned himself in at the Orient Road Jail and was booked at 10:20 on a complaint of felony battery/domestic battery by strangulation. He was released an hour later on a $50,000 bond.

A Monroe County arrest warrant filed Wednesday alleged that Marve attacked Brandon resident Channing Tomes in their Key West hotel room last week. Tomes told the Monroe County Sheriff's Office that Marve "lost control" after seeing messages on her phone. He then began hitting her face, chest, arms and legs, and stomped on her throat, according to the warrant.

"I am beyond relieved to know he is finally exposed as the monster he truly is," Tomes said in a text message to the Tampa Bay Times. "I am so thankful for everyone who has worked tirelessly on this case, as well as other victims."

Marve's attorney Daniel Fernandez, responding to the Times, asked why Tomes dated his client for five months and went on a vacation with him if she thought he was "so evil."

Fernandez also said that authorities in Monroe County did not answer his repeated calls.

"We had information that was pertinent to the case that they chose not to hear," Fernandez said. "It's not fair for either party to litigate this matter through the media."

Tomes, 27, has also accused Marve of a separate violent incident in Tampa in May. In a sworn petition for an injunction for protection against dating violence, Tomes wrote that Marve, 29, bit her lip, struck her in the face, knocked her unconscious and sexually assaulted her.

"I am adamantly pursuing these charges to ensure no women will ever walk into his life blindly," Tomes said in a text message. "Robert Marve has continued to escalate in his abuse, and on multiple occasions I felt as though I was going to die in his hands.

"I do not care if I am the face of this case or if my sexual life, job or school is exposed in this process. My ultimate goal was to see that he never hurt another woman again and stand up for past victims who were too scared to come forward. Rape and domestic violence is never okay. I have found that the only 'safe word' with Robert Marve is '911.' "

Tampa police spokesman Steve Hegarty said the department is aware of some allegations against Marve but can't discuss its investigation.

Marve was the state's top high school football player in 2006 after leading Plant to the Class 4A state title. He signed with Miami before finishing his college career at Purdue.

The son of former Bucs linebacker Eugene Marve had a tryout with the Bucs in 2013 and played in the CFL. Until this week, he was co-owner of the Tampa-based Kaleo/Marve Quarterback Academy and worked with quarterbacks at Plant.

Jail records list Marve's current job as the athletic director at Tampa Sports Academy, a training facility, and his residence in South Tampa.

Contact Matt Baker at mbaker@tampabay.com. Follow @MBakerTBTimes. Contact Bob Putnam at bputnam@tampabay.com. Follow @BobbyHomeTeam.