Former Browns running back Terrance West charged with assault

BALTIMORE — Former Browns and Ravens running back Terrance West is facing first- and second-degree assault charges after allegedly attacking a contractor at his Upper Marlboro home. West, 35, is accused of assaulting the contractor, Erick Mejia, on March 4 over a dispute about a carpet stain, according to Prince George's County court records. Mejia alleged that West beat him and threatened him with a knife and gun. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 1 in Prince George's County District Court. West, a former standout at Towson University, where he was one of the top running backs in the country and led the Tigers to the 2013 Football Championship Subdivision national title game, was a third-round draft pick by the Browns in 2014 and played for Baltimore from 2015-17. The former Northwestern High star appeared in 27 games across three seasons for the Ravens, including all 16 in 2016 (13 starts), when he rushed for a career-high 774 yards and five touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 236 yards and another score. West suffered a calf injury the following year and appeared in only five games, finishing with 138 yards and two touchdowns. Baltimore did not re-sign him after the season, and he joined the New Orleans Saints over the summer but was released before the season began. As a rookie with the Browns, West rushed for 673 yards and four touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 64 yards and another score in 14 games. But the following season, he reported to training camp overweight, and Cleveland traded him to the Tennessee Titans before the start of the 2015 season. With the Titans, he was active for just two games and rushed for 51 yards on 16 carries and had two fumbles. Tennessee released him just two months into his tenure, and Baltimore signed him to its practice squad after losing starting back Justin Forsett and backup Lorenzo Taliaferro to season-ending injuries. For his career, West had 1,816 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns across 43 games (23 starts) and 51 catches for 333 yards and two scores.