Former Louisville running back Javian Hawkins is back in the news for all the wrong reasons.
The 26-year-old, once a high school standout in Brevard County and later a Super Bowl ring holder with the Los Angeles Rams, was arrested July 16 in West Melbourne, Florida, on arson-related charges after fire tore through vehicles and a building at Tropic Care of Florida.
West Melbourne police said Hawkins, of Titusville, remained jailed Friday, July 17, at the Brevard County Jail Complex on $280,000 bond. His next court appearance is set for Aug. 13.
According to police, officers were called early the morning of July 15 to Tropic Care, located at 7635 Progress Circle, after reports of multiple vehicles on fire. When they arrived, they found three pickup trucks “engulfed in flames,” with the fire spreading to the outside of the commercial building.
Brevard County Fire Rescue put out the blaze, and investigators later determined the scene was suspicious. Hawkins, who police said had previously been fired from the landscape business, is charged with armed burglary, arson of a structure or business, three counts of arson involving a vehicle or structure, and criminal mischief over $1,000 in damage.
Police said the case was built with surveillance video, physical evidence, witness interviews and an accelerant detection K-9. In their account, the suspect “unlawfully entered the secured property, obtained gasoline from an unlocked work vehicle, and intentionally ignited multiple company vehicles. The resulting fire caused extensive damage to the vehicles and the business … Witnesses familiar with Hawkins identified him from surveillance footage, and additional evidence gathered during the investigation supported his involvement.”
West Melbourne Police Lt. Graig Erenstoft called arson “an intentional act that puts lives, businesses, and our community at risk,” adding, “Thanks to the outstanding work of our detectives and our partnership with the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office, we were able to quickly identify and apprehend the individual responsible. We remain committed to ensuring those who commit these dangerous crimes are held fully accountable.”
Hawkins’ football path once looked like a straight climb. He started at Astronaut before transferring to Cocoa for his junior and senior seasons, graduating in 2018. By the time he was done with high school, he had piled up more than 4,000 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns.
He took that production to Louisville, where he broke out as a redshirt freshman in 2019. That season, he set the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,525 yards on 264 carries and scored nine touchdowns.
Hawkins entered the NFL Draft in 2021 but went undrafted. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2021, then was released before the season. The Tennessee Titans picked him up next, but let him go five days later.
His next stop was the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 20, 2021. Hawkins spent the season on the practice squad and earned a championship ring when the Rams won Super Bowl 56.
After being waived by Los Angeles in 2022, Hawkins moved on to the Canadian Football League. His last stop was with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who released him in June 2023.
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