WSU safety Xavier Hicks violates work release

Jailed Washington State safety Xavier Hicks has violated terms of his work-release agreement.

During a check this week, Hicks was not at the work-release site where he said he would be, Whitman County undersheriff Ron Rockness said Thursday.

Hicks was locked in a cell Thursday. Rockness said a three-person panel from the Whitman County Sheriff's Office will determine punishment.

Options include taking him off work or school release and removing the possibility that his 45-day sentence could be reduced to 30 days for good behavior.

Hicks pleaded guilty to third-degree credit-card theft and attempted third-degree assault after initially being charged with two felonies. The assault case involves putting the contact lenses of former teammate-roommate Grady Maxwell in rubbing alcohol after a dispute over an unpaid cable-TV bill. Maxwell never put the contacts in his eyes.

Hicks, a junior from Fullerton, Calif., was expected to be the Cougars' starting free safety in the fall but has been suspended for the first three games by coach Paul Wulff.

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com