Kaitlyn Hughes | news editor

A criminal charge filed against a Duquesne basketball player is expected to be dismissed after a deal with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office was made at a preliminary hearing in August, defense attorney Casey White said.

In exchange, Maximus Edwards will please guilty to a non-traffic summary offense, White said.

“This matter will be fully resolved and closed in the near future,” White said.

Edwards, 23, was charged with simple assault on Aug. 3 after allegedly punching a woman during an argument.

After a review of the case, the district attorney’s office offered Edwards the opportunity to enter a guilty plea to a lesser charge if he successfully completes a court approved domestic violence program by his next court date on Nov. 13, said Rebecca Spangler, chief of staff for the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office.

If Edwards successfully completes the program, the misdemeanor charges will be reduced to a summary offense to which he will then enter a guilty plea, Spangler said.

“Domestic violence is a serious societal issue ,and we have found early intervention by completion of court approved diversion programs has been successful,” Spangler said.

On the day of the incident, police were flagged down by a woman who Edwards knows at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Garrison Place in Downtown.

Earlier in the day, Edwards became enraged with the woman over the phone because she followed a member of the Duquesne football team on social media, according to the criminal complaint. Edwards had called the woman multiple times throughout the day.

The woman told police she had been driving Downtown when she saw Edwards walking down the street.

She pulled over into a parking lot to speak to Edwards. The two then got into an argument over property, the complaint said.

The woman told police that Edwards pulled her out of the vehicle and punched her in the mouth. Edwards proceeded to press his elbow against the woman’s throat.

The woman told police she did not lose consciousness but was unsure whether or not she was able to breathe during the incident. Edwards then fled the scene on foot.

Police said they observed fresh scratches on the woman’s neck and her lip was red and swollen. The woman complained of severe mouth and jaw pain. She was evaluated by medics on the scene.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 at Pittsburgh Municipal Court.

Rosemary Ravasio, a university spokesperson, said that the university is aware of the issue.

“We also must adhere to federal guidelines that prohibit the university from discussing details of student conduct matters,” she said.

Edwards is a redshirt senior guard on the Duquesne men’s basketball team. Last season, he averaged 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds. Edwards previously played for two years at George Washington where he was the 2023 A-10 rookie of the year.

Sports Information Director Jim Duzyk declined to comment on the matter.

Kaitlyn Hughes can be reached at hughesk10@duq.edu