Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer offered his first thoughts on running back Michael Holmes‘ recent arrest for malicious wounding and simple assault during a Thursday teleconference to wrap up the ACC’s spring season.

“There’s definitely two sides to the story on this one,” said Beamer, who said the legal process has to play out.

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Holmes is currently on an indefinite suspension from the team, per university policy, meaning he can’t use Virginia Tech’s facilities or participate in player-organized events if they take place on the Hokies’ practice fields.

How Holmes’ absence affects Virginia Tech’s running back situation come fall remains to be seen. Beamer said the top three, if Holmes is allowed to return to the team, are (in no particular order) Trey Edmunds, Holmes and J.C. Coleman.

Beamer said Edmunds will be “right in the mix.” He said Coleman, Chris Mangus and Tony Gregory, three players not known for their size, can be used in certain packages. The Hokies had a number of formations where running backs lined up outside as receivers this spring.

Beamer and his staff has meetings with players Tuesday about spring performances and what they expect this summer. He said he hasn’t discussed the Holmes situation in a team setting because the Hokies have not met as a team since the spring game.

“You certainly don’t have yourself put in those situations,” Beamer said. “But I think we have to let it play out.”

CHRISTIANSBURG — Virginia Tech running back Michael Holmes was released from Montgomery County jail late Tuesday morning after a bond hearing in which differing details emerged from the downtown Blacksburg fight that led to his arrest Sunday.

Judge Randal Duncan set a $2,500 secured bond for Holmes, who had been held for more than two days after being charged with malicious wounding and simple assault. Holmes was bonded out just before noon, greeted by his family.

Holmes, 19, whose only comment was that he was eager to have a good meal, is to have no contact with the victims and is not allowed to leave the state.

“I know that my son is not a violent person.,” Holmes’ mother, Tonya Brandon, said. “So I know that he is innocent.”

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Differing stories emerged during a bond hearing in court Tuesday about the incident that has resulted in three arrests, including Ciara Simms, 20 of Blacksburg, and Kierra Barnes, 20 of Radford, on charges of assault and battery.

Holmes’ attorney Jimmy Turk argued that Holmes acted in self-defense after Simms, who his Holmes’ ex-girlfriend and a sprinter at Virginia Tech, and Barnes attacked Holmes’ current girlfriend, Karoline Seekford, by jumping her from behind and pushing her into a trash bin in a downtown parking lot.

“They followed him [all night],” Brandon said. “They stalked him the whole time. They went from party to party and Michael would say like, ‘Let’s leave.’ … Every time they would leave, they would follow them like they were plotting it.”

Turk said Holmes tried to break up the fight, only getting physical after being hit by Barnes’ cousin, Antoine, who entered the altercation. Holmes’ malicious wounding charge stems from his fight with Antoine Barnes.

“He was protecting his girlfriend,” Brandon said. “She got jumped. He was just pulling them off of her. Out of the kindness of his heart, he’s not going to sit there and let his girlfriend get beat up.”

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Andrew Stephens presented proffers from Simms, Kierra Barnes and Antoine Barnes telling a different story.

Simms said Holmes dragged her by the hair in the parking lot during the altercation. She said she was afraid of Holmes and was adamant that bond be denied.

Kierra Barnes said Holmes punched her in the face, a claim Turk said his client “absolutely” denies. She was treated for a swollen eye at the scene and said she has a fractured nose.

Antoine Barnes said Holmes threw him to the ground before kicking and punching him in the face. Officers who responded said Barnes was bleeding from the face and was taken to the hospital for the treatment of facial lacerations. He was released that night. He claims to have a fractured cheek bone, sore ribs and pain in his jawbone.

Turk argued for Holmes to receive bond, saying nobody was in the hospital overnight and the victims’ claims of facial fractures are only a possibility at this point. He also said that Holmes had never been in trouble before and had no reason to leave the state.

Holmes has been placed on an indefinite suspension from the football team until the felony charge is resolved or dropped, per university policy.

Holmes has a preliminary hearing in Montgomery County District Court on June 13 at 2 p.m. Turk said he’d like to have the case settled as “quick as he possibly can.”

“He’s a straight-A student,” Brandon said. “I’m a single mother. And I have raised my children. I’m the mother and the father of my children and I teach my kids right from wrong. And abuse and hitting someone is untolerated by me. I don’t tolerate that and he knows that.”

A fight in a downtown Blacksburg parking lot early Sunday morning involving five people has now led to three arrests, including Virginia Tech running back Michael Holmes.

Holmes, 19, who was arrested Sunday morning and charged with one count of malicious wounding and two counts of simple assault, had his arraignment in court continued Monday. He remains in jail with a bond hearing scheduled this morning at 9:30.

Ciara Monet Simms, a 20-year-old sprinter on the Virginia Tech track team, and Kierra Shacuree Barnes, 20, from Radford, were also arrested and charged with assault and battery, a misdemeanor, according to the Blacksburg Police Department. Simms was arrested Sunday night and Barnes Monday afternoon.

Blacksburg Police Lt. Nathan O’Dell said the incident originated as a verbal dispute between two girls that turned physical in the Armory parking lot near the 200 block of College Ave. in the early hours of Sunday morning. A third female then joined, followed by two males, one being Holmes.

Holmes’ attorney, Jimmy Turk, said the original altercation was between Holmes’ current girlfriend and former girlfriend.

“My understanding with his involvement was that it just involved trying to break up an altercation between several girls,” Turk said.

O’Dell said no weapons were involved. Three victims were treated for injuries. One, a male, was taken to LewisGale Medical Center with an injury that O’Dell said met the criteria for a malicious wounding charge for Holmes.

Turk said Holmes’ girlfriend was also taken to the hospital briefly, although no one had injuries requiring an extended stay. Simms and Barnes’ arrests were made after information was obtained once Holmes’ girlfriend spoke with police. Her name was not released.

Holmes was scheduled to appear in Montgomery County General District court to hear the charges Monday, but that was delayed. Turk filed a motion for a bond hearing that is scheduled to take place this morning.

“I certainly hope he gets out,” Turk said. “I think he will. I would hope so.”

The Virginia courts website also lists a preliminary hearing for Holmes on June 13 at 2 p.m.

The sophomore from Harrisonburg has been suspended indefinitely from the football team because of the malicious wounding charge, which is a felony. That’s in accordance to athletic department guidelines.

Virginia Tech running back Michael Holmes is being held without bail at Montgomery County Jail on one count of malicious wounding and two counts of simple assault, according to the Blacksburg Police Department.

A press release issued Sunday night said officers responded to the 200 block of College Ave. for a fight in progress at 1:50 a.m. Sunday.

As a result of the investigation, Holmes, 19, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding, a Class 3 felony in Virginia, and two counts of assault and battery, which are Class 1 misdemeanors.

The release said one victim was transported to LewisGale Medical Center for treatment of an unspecified injury. Two other victims were treated at the scene. The names of the victims were not released.

Malicious wounding is described as attempting to “maliciously shoot, stab, cut, or wound any person or by any means cause him bodily injury, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill.”

Holmes is suspended indefinitely from the football team, per athletic department guidelines, until the charge is resolved or dropped. If found guilty of a felony, he would be kicked off the team.

A rising sophomore from Harrisonburg, Holmes ran for 280 yards last season and was expected to be in the mix for the starting job next fall.

He was arrested only hours after Virginia Tech’s spring game, where he led the running backs with seven carries for 24 yards.

Holmes was considered along with sophomore J.C. Coleman and redshirt freshman Trey Edmunds to be among the frontrunners for the Hokies’ featured back role. Running backs coach Shane Beamer praised Holmes’ consistency this spring, saying the tailback had gotten his “swag” back.

“The main thing I’ve gotten better at is being a leader,” Holmes said after the spring game. “I played last year, so I’ve been trying to get all the young bucks together, keep them working hard. The thing we’re going to work on the most is being consistent. Just grinding, putting in work, trying to get better.”

Suspended Virginia Tech linebacker Dahman McKinnon had his felony hit-and-run charge reduced to a misdemeanor at a preliminary hearing in Montgomery County District Court on Thursday, which should pave the way for his reinstatement to the team.

McKinnon was found guilty of a misdemeanor stemming from a traffic accident in December and ordered to pay a $100 fine., his attorney, Jimmy Turk, said. Three other traffic infractions — driving without insurance, failure to obtain a registration/title and failure to obey a traffic signal — were dismissed.

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The redshirt freshman was initially charged with a felony for leaving the scene of an accident because the damages exceeded $1,000. Per Virginia Tech athletic department policy, a felony charge triggers an immediate suspension from the team.

Now that the felony charge is resolved, McKinnon can be reinstated to the Hokies, a decision that is up to athletic director Jim Weaver.

Virginia Tech beings spring practice March 27.