Former Nebraska RB Collins arrested on murder charge

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:02 PM OMAHA, Nebraska (Ticker) -- Former Nebraska running back Thunder Collins was arrested Wednesday on a murder charge.

Collins and another man were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a Los Angeles man and the wounding of his friend.

The arrest warrant accused Collins, 29, of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and one count of use of a weapon to commit a felony.

Timothy Thomas, 38, was killed in a house Tuesday morning and a friend, Marshall Turner, was also shot during the incident. Omaha police also arrested Karnell Burton in connection with the murder.

Collins played in parts of three seasons with the Cornhuskers from 1999-2001. He rushed for 647 yards as a junior in 2001, when Nebraska went to the national championship game and lost to Miami.

Collins quit the team in October 2002 after he was listed as a reserve I-back, and he has endured a tumultuous decade.

In 2002, Collins pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace in Lincoln. That was part of an agreement with prosecutors to drop two assault charges connected to alleged fights with his ex-girlfriend.

The following year, Collins was acquitted of assault and burglary charges in Corvallis, Oregon.

Collins was also sentenced to 10 days in jail in 2006 after pleading no contest to obstructing an Omaha police officer. Witnesses said he had been involved in a shooting and police found marijuana in his pocket.