Clemson baseball pitcher Ariston Veasey was charged with two counts of third-degree assault and battery following an altercation at ROAR Clemson, a downtown bar, according to the city of Clemson Police Department records obtained by The Tiger through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 11 at ROAR on College Avenue.
According to the police incident report, Officer Clayten Barnes was flagged down by a bar employee who reported that “there was a patron inside fighting people” and had punched the employee. The report states Veasey was “being pinned down by another customer” when officers arrived in the parking lot behind the bar.
Veasey was taken into custody at the scene and cited that morning for public disorderly conduct and unlawful use of or fraudulent application for a driver’s license after officers located a fake Georgia driver’s license among his belongings, according to the report.
Two individuals alleged that Veasey punched them during the altercation, but declined to pursue charges at the time. Veasey was also issued a trespass notice barring him from ROAR. The incident was recorded on officers’ body-worn cameras.
Records show arrest warrants were later issued in connection with the Jan. 11 incident. Veasey was booked on the morning of Jan. 14 on two counts of assault and battery in the third degree and released later that morning on a $930 personal recognizance bond.
Management at ROAR provided the following written statement regarding the altercation:
“An individual at our venue was engaging in inappropriate behavior and was confronted by staff. During that interaction, the individual became aggressive and physically assaulted a staff member. When a manager stepped in to stop the altercation, the manager was also struck.
The individual was removed from the premises, and law enforcement handled the situation. We are fully cooperating with the investigation.
We have zero tolerance for violence or inappropriate conduct, and the safety of our staff and guests remains our top priority.”
The Clemson athletic department declined to comment on the situation.
Under South Carolina law, assault and battery in the third degree is a misdemeanor and the lowest-level assault offense under state statute. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail or a fine of up to $500. Public disorderly conduct and unlawful use of or fraudulent application for a driver’s license are also misdemeanor offenses under South Carolina law.
The 2025-2026 Clemson Student Athlete Handbook states that for “all other misdemeanor charges/convictions, the head coach will recommend, within seven days, a course of action, and upon concurrence of the designated CUAD administrator, administer sanctions.”
Veasey is a junior right-handed pitcher who transferred to Clemson from Alabama this offseason. He spent two seasons with the Crimson Tide and appeared in five games last season, totaling 3.2 innings pitched.