Pitt football player pleads to reduced charge of harassment

Pitt junior defensive end Dayon Hayes pleaded guilty Tuesday to a summary harassment charge stemming from allegations that he assaulted the mother of his child.

Hayes, a Westinghouse graduate, was sentenced to time served — a day at Allegheny County Jail — by Magisterial District Judge Nicholas Martini.

“Dayon enjoys an impeccable reputation for being affable and a law-abiding citizen,” said his attorney, Robert Del Greco. “To be sure, he regrets the incident which gave rise to his arrest.”

Hayes, 21, was originally charged with one count of simple assault stemming from the Nov. 6 incident.

A criminal complaint filed against Hayes said the victim called 911, and the call taker could hear the woman shouting “‘get out.’”

When three Pittsburgh police officers arrived at the East Hills address, the complaint said the woman told them she had an argument with Hayes, who was her boyfriend and father of her child.

Hayes, who is listed as 6-foot-3, 275 pounds, was asked to leave, but became “increasingly irate” and doused the woman in bleach, the complaint said.

When the woman called 911, Hayes took the phone from her and began to speak to the operator before hanging up, police said.

The woman told police that Hayes grabbed “a full fist of hair” and pulled her head back, before forcing her head into a wall and holding her there, the complaint said.

The woman also reported that Hayes refused to allow her to leave and slammed the door on her right thigh, police said.

Officers on scene said they saw swelling on her thigh and a bruise on the outside of her left hand.

Del Greco said the victim attended Tuesday’s hearing and consented to the amended charge.

Hayes joined Pitt football in 2020.

Prior to his arrest, he had played five games this season as a backup defensive end. He was held out of action after his arrest but played Saturday against Duke.

Head Coach Pat Narduzzi said Monday that “you’re always innocent until you’re proven guilty,” but “we kind of made him guilty until he’s innocent. So he’s paid a price with the team. He’s paid a price on the field.

“He was out for a week. Again, spent some time down in what we call the Pit down there doing some stuff with strength coach (Michael Stacchiotti). So we’ll wait to see where that whole thing goes. And then, you know, move on from there.”

Hayes missed four games earlier this season with an injury.

A Pitt spokesman declined to comment following Tuesday’s hearing.