Former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber was detained and taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation Sunday night, Mansfield police say.
Former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber was detained and taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation Sunday night, Mansfield police say.
Barber, 31, was taken into custody by police at about 8 p.m. outside of his home on the 700 block of Moore Road, police spokesman Thad Penkala said.
Barber, the hard-hitting third-down running back who played six seasons for the Cowboys, was taken to an area hospital for a mental examination.
It is not clear if he remains hospitalized or if he has been released. Police said they aren't normally notified when someone is released from an evaluation and that Barber currently does not face any criminal charges.
"I came outside and there were six or seven police cars," said Michelle Morgan, a manager at Cha Cha's Mexican restaurant across the street.
Morgan said he was standing near a red pickup truck.
"He wasn't putting up a fight or anything," she said. "He just was basically trying to talk them out of being arrested. And they stayed there for a good while and eventually they loaded him up in the cop car and took him off."
Several hours earlier, someone threw a heavy rock into front windshield of a customer's Mercedes, which was parked at the same restaurant.
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The owner of the car, who asked not to be identified, said when she came out of the restaurant, she saw a man walking fast toward Barber's house. But she said the man did not appear to be Barber.
She said she didn't know who damaged her car.
Meanwhile, the previous owner of the house, city council member Larry Broseh, confirmed he sold the home to Barber in April.
Broseh said Barber is a nice guy but said he acted strangely during the sale and missed the closing twice.
The council member added that Barber walked out of the title company once because he didn't want to sign a document confirming that he spoke English and that he understood the other documents he was signing.
Barber also put a heavy chain on the front gate the day he moved in, Broseh said.
Other neighbors complain Barber hasn't taken care of the yard since he moved in.
Barber played in the NFL for seven seasons. He left the Cowboys in 2011 and played one season for the Chicago Bears before he retired from professional football.
The Dallas Cowboys have no comment.
