A young man who used to be a linebacker for the University of Tennessee has been arrested and is facing DUI charges. The arrest reportedly happened in Knoxville on a recent Saturday morning.
The former linebacker is 25 years old. The Knoxville Police Department has charged him with marijuana possession, implied consent and failing to use due care while behind the wheel.
Police say they spotted his car at about 1:30 in the morning. It was sitting at an intersection. The light turned from red to green and cycled through twice. Still, the car did not move. The police then came up to the car, and they saw the 2007 SUV then hit a sign while rolling forward.
Police who made the arrest claimed the linebacker admitted to smoking and drinking that night. They also said that they could smell the alcohol and that his eyes were bloodshot. They carried out a few field sobriety tests to be sure and then arrested him.
The young man put up 425 tackles at Tennessee, where he started in 2011 and played until 2014. Only one person in the school's history has recorded more. In 2015, he was hoping to go to the National Football League and was getting ready for the draft, but he was then accused of an unrelated crime. That case still hasn't concluded.
Criminal charges can completely derail a young person's career, which is why it's important for all who are accused to know their rights and to get a fair trial.
Source: Gridiron Now, "Former Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson arrested for DUI," Kevin Connell, accessed July 19, 2017