Former University of South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt was arrested Monday night on charges of felony grand theft, domestic battery and simple battery in St. Petersburg, according to records.
Leavitt, 68, who started the Bulls’ program from scratch in 1997, was named to USF Athletics Hall of Fame in June. He is scheduled to be inducted Oct. 2.
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According to the St. Petersburg police affidavit, Leavitt took a Louis Vuitton purse, a clutch and wallet belonging to a former live-in girlfriend and grabbed her as she tried to leave his apartment. The items had a total value of $5,000 to $10,000.
The affidavit said Leavitt also pushed a man in the chest at the scene.
Leavitt was arrested around 7 p.m. and booked at the Pinellas County Jail.
He remained in custody as of Tuesday morning. According to court records, he was scheduled for a first appearance before a judge later in the day.
Leavitt remains the Bulls’ winningest coach, with a 95-57 record over 13 seasons, five straight bowl games, three wins over top 10 opponents, and 26 weeks in the AP poll. The high mark was a national No. 2 ranking in 2007.
Leavitt was fired in 2010 after a controversial locker incident in which he allegedly struck a player and interfered in the ensuing investigation.
Leavitt denied the accusations, and the school in 2011 settled a lawsuit for violating his pretermination rights for $2.75 million. USF was also required to acknowledge his contributions to "building USF’s nationally respected football program.”
After his firing, Leavitt made several stops as an assistant coach in college and pro football, but has been out of coaching since 2021.
