A judge has ordered the re-arrest of former UConn football player Dennis Hernandez after he failed to appear in court last week on charges related to throwing a brick at the ESPN campus in Bristol, Connecticut.
The 37-year-old, who was known as DJ Hernandez when he played quarterback and wide receiver at UConn in the mid-2000s, was originally arrested in March. Police said he went to ESPN in a car, possibly an Uber, and threw a bag containing a brick and a note over a fence and onto the property before leaving.
The note said: “To all media outlets, It’s about time you all realeyes the affect media has on all family members. Since you’re a world leader, maybe you could lead how media and messages are delivered brick by brick. Clean it up! Yours truly, Dennis J. Hernandez,” according to police.
Hernandez, the older brother of the late New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, was scheduled to enter a plea on July 7 to a misdemeanor charge of breach of peace. He did not show up for that court appearance, according to court records.
Tight end Aaron Hernandez, #81 of the New England Patriots, looks on during an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on December 23, 2012, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Michael DeHoog/Sports Imagery/ Getty Images)
No lawyers for Hernandez are listed in court records. Email messages sent to several addresses associated with him were not immediately returned. A phone message seeking comment was also left at the public defender’s office. Hernandez grew up in Bristol and recently had lived in Florida.
His younger brother, Aaron Hernandez, a tight end for the Patriots, killed himself in 2017 in a prison cell while serving a murder sentence.
In March, Bristol police said they received an anonymous complaint from someone who said they were concerned about Dennis Hernandez because he said he wanted to destroy property at the state Capitol and at ESPN.
ESPN has declined comment other than to say in a statement that it is cooperating with police.