Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
	Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes, the Steelers' 2006 first-round draft pick, was released on a $3,500 recognizance bond yesterday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, after he was arrested just after midnight Sunday on charges of domestic violence and assault, both first-degree misdemeanors, and an outstanding warrant for a minor traffic violation.

He entered a plea of not guilty, and his attorney, Samuel Shamansky, requested a jury trial. No court date has been set.

Reached in Columbus last night, Holmes, a receiver from Ohio State, said, "I'm not taking any calls."

It is Holmes' second run-in with police since he was drafted in April. He was arrested in Miami Beach on a disorderly conduct charge over Memorial Day weekend in a crackdown by authorities there.

According to two Columbus police spokesmen, Holmes, 22, was arrested at an apartment after Columbus police responded to a call from a woman who is the mother of Holmes' youngest child, Shaniya, 4 months.

After talking with the woman, identified as Lashae Boone, police arrested Holmes, who had returned to the apartment while police were taking a report. Holmes was described as cooperative.

According to a police affidavit, the woman said Holmes did "knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to a family or household member ... by means of choking, throwing her to the ground, grabbing her arms and slamming her into a door, leaving her with bruises, pain and a torn shirt."

Shamansky would not comment on specifics of the incident, but said, "Nobody's injured. There were no injuries."

Boone was not taken to a hospital for treatment. She did not return a phone message.

Holmes originally was to be arraigned in Franklin County Court this morning, but that was moved up at the request of Shamansky and the sheriff's department. Holmes appeared in prison khakis and handcuffs before Judge Anne Taylor.

According to Shamansky, Boone was present at the arraignment and requested that Holmes be released.

Holmes did not speak to reporters as he left the court building.

"I think that it's upsetting, but he's doing just fine," Shamansky said of Holmes. "He takes the matter very seriously and looks forward to putting the whole thing behind him."

Holmes' arrest came a week after Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident.

Asked about Holmes' latest arrest during an interview on a national radio show, Steelers coach Bill Cowher said, "I really don't have any details whatsoever, so I really don't want to comment. It's unfortunate that these types of things are making the news. It's not what you want to be doing at this time of year."

The Steelers declined further comment.

Following Holmes' May 27 arrest, Cowher said, "If you look at the details, certainly there were a lot of people over the Memorial Day weekend who were arrested. Whatever he did wrong, I don't think he handled it properly.

"I think he'll learn from it. He'll learn to understand the scrutiny he's under. ... I don't have any long-term concerns. I think he's still a solid individual, and I'm not going to hold that incident against him, even though we will talk about it."

Although Holmes, selected 25th overall in the April draft, has not signed with the Steelers, he is subject to the NFL's personal-conduct policy and could face mandatory counseling or punishment.

While processing Holmes, Columbus police discovered an outstanding warrant for an assured distance violation, a minor traffic misdemeanor that stems from an accident in which a driver is tailgating.

The ticket was issued Oct. 18, 2005, and Holmes failed to show up for court seven days later.

He had one other brush with the law while at Ohio State.

On Nov. 16, 2003 -- the all-important week of the Michigan game -- Holmes and Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith were arrested on disorderly conduct charges following a 3 a.m. fight in a parking lot. They and other teammates apparently were trying to break up a fight among some players' girlfriends.

Holmes, who was a redshirt freshman, was held out of the starting lineup against Michigan but did play. Although Smith was convicted, the charge against Holmes was dropped the following March when a prosecution witness could not identify him.