UPDATED 5:10 pm ET, Aug. 10
TORONTO, ON – Laval Rouge et Or receiver Kevin Mital has been charged with assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and threats, Le Soleil reported on Wednesday, with the alleged charges taking place on Dec. 10, 2021.
For the 2022 Hec Creighton Award winner and Vanier Cup Champion, participation in the 2023 U SPORTS and RSEQ seasons appears improbable.
Mital, 24, allegedly engaged in an assault of another man while carrying, using or threatening the use of a weapon, while also allegedly engaging in assault causing bodily harm and knowingly uttering threats to cause death or harm.
Judge Maxime Laganière will hear Mital’s expected guilty plea in municipal court on Sept. 7, with the use or threat of a weapon being punishable for a maximum of 2 years less one day, should he be prosecuted. If prosecuted for an indictable offence, the minimum penalty is up to 10 years imprisonment.
While still alleged in the case, the possibility of Mital participating in the 2023 RSEQ and U SPORTS season appears minimal. Coming off a season earning the honours of the top player in U SPORTS, the business student at Universite Laval would be a significant loss to the Rouge et Or, which he aimed to return to, foregoing the CFL and NFL drafts.
“Because the alleged facts are taken very seriously, the Rouge et Or program and the Rouge et Or Football Club are currently taking note of the information available in order to make an informed decision for the future,” Laval Rouge et Or posted to social media.
“Out of respect for the authorities and the people concerned, none of the parties involved will comment further on the news for the moment.”
The six-foot-one, 215-pound target man told 3DownNation that he would not consider a shift to the NCAA, nor chase professional opportunities, as he looked to defend his Vanier Cup title with the Rouge et Or.
Laval kicks off their regular season RSEQ schedule on Aug. 25 with a visit to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.