More trouble for Tennessee QB Bray
Tyler Bray was recently praised by coach Derek Dooley for his increased maturity. (AP photo)
The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Bray appeared in Loudon County General Sessions Court on Wednesday where he faced charges stemming from a July 4 boating incident.
The paper reported:
According to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officer Dewayne Williams, Bray was driving a Jet Ski with a woman passenger when he was observed by Williams “hot dogging” with another Jet Ski. Williams explained the term “hot dogging” as “almost like playing chicken” on Jet Skis.
The other Jet Ski tipped over spilling the unidentified occupants into the water. Bray then sped near the swimmers “spraying them with water,” according to Williams, who added “he was almost on top of them.”
Jet Skis are supposed to operate at least 100 feet apart, Williams said.
“This all happened directly in front of me,” said Williams of the incident. “That’s what I couldn’t believe.”
Bray was charged with reckless operation of a personal watercraft and failure to have a boating education certificate, both misdemeanors.
In Wednesday’s court hearing, Bray reached an agreement on the charges in which he agreed to either make three appearances at schools to promote boater safety or make a public service TV spot. He also lost his boating privileges for a year and must take a boating training course and pay court costs, the News-Sentinel said.
In exchange, Bray will not have to enter a guilty plea, which could have resulted in six months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Bray’s behavior raises concerns for Coach Derek Dooley, who recently praised the junior quarterback’s increased maturity and “lifestyle changes.”
“You have to live as the quarterback at Tennessee,” Dooley said at SEC Media Days. “If your lifestyle is not reflecting that, then it’s going to be hard to go out and perform to your best.”
After Bray admitted to throwing beer bottles at cars from his apartment balcony two weeks ago, Dooley called it “silly behavior” and then made a joke about it.
“Obviously, his accuracy isn’t where it needs to be. He missed the trash can,” Dooley said.
Dooley has not commented publicly on Bray’s boating behavior.
Tennessee opens the season Aug. 31 against North Carolina State in the Georgia Dome.
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172 comments Add your comment
Katie
August 9th, 2012
2:51 pm
This is a college kid acting like a college kid on a jet-ski. Seriously, can’t we get better news on the front page of the AJC???
ColumbusDawg
August 9th, 2012
2:57 pm
“like ColumbusDawg said everyone has there trouble makers. I wouldn’t mind Bray being suspended
for a quarter or two.Oh and by the way our back up is no slouch either he was the gatorade player of the year two years ago.”
Nice post but if we can get our starting corner out of missing any games after being busted with a baseball size bag of pot, Bray shouldn’t miss any time for bottle throwing and jet skiing too close. I just hate all the hypocrisy and every school has more than their fair share of these type of fans. Urban Meyer touted Tebow and his virtues in every interview while setting the record for arrests during his coaching tenure there. And guess what, they have 2 NC trophies and could care less about the off the field issues. Every poster that comes on here and says Dooley or any other coach is running a rogue program and it will hurt them should look in the mirror. We all run rogue programs! Get over it! It hasn’t hurt Florida, LSU or Alabama.
That said I think we will beat you this year. I’m worried about depth but I think your defense will struggle a little learning a new system. Same with Florida’s offense.
5150 UOAD`
August 9th, 2012
3:04 pm
ColumbusDawg…he has passed pee tests and took drug classes. So I guess he doesn’t smoke he just transports it or sells it and that doesn’t deserve a suspension.
Paddy
August 9th, 2012
3:07 pm
Katie…….no that is a college kid acting like an idiot. 20 ft closer and he could have injured or killed those folks. I call that serious and news worthy!
Dogs Smell
August 9th, 2012
3:15 pm
You Ga homers even commenting is funny. He wasnt driving the wrong way on his scooter. He didnt have an illegal gun under the seat and there was not a strong odor of weed coming out of the “JetSKI” ! Idiots. Oh and he is still rated above A.Murray.
LOCK HIM UP AND THROW AWAY THE KEY
August 9th, 2012
3:26 pm
Any college jock – especially football players – think they are a privileged class – in truth they are nothing but dumb a$$ ball handlers…..they should be made examples of….should have been tasered while he was in the water and then put on the chain gang working on the side of the road for 1 year….then let’s see how privileged he feels.
Tampa Gator
August 9th, 2012
3:47 pm
It is too bad that all the other football programs can’t be as well run as the Gators. Our coach will not tolerate this type of behavior.
hmmmmm............
August 9th, 2012
4:03 pm
/
PMC
August 9th, 2012
4:12 pm
Finally, poor behavior we can actually write off as immaturity. No reason to suspend him for being stupid in this case.
51 arrests in four years
August 9th, 2012
4:25 pm
If he was at UGA, St. Mark would send him to bed without a lollipop, then suspend him for ten minutes of his next remedial studies class. That’s called tough love, Richt-style.
BILLY JACK
August 9th, 2012
4:32 pm
If Bray was at Georgia folks would want to send him to the electric chair-but at ole rockytop even Darrick Rodgers who pistol whipped that guy in a bar,that story strangely went away and after a briefcase full of money was dropped off at his bar,he refused to press charges.STRANGE
Contractor
August 9th, 2012
4:37 pm
Really? This has to be the biggest pile of garbage ever brought to the courts. Yes, people can get hurt, well they can get hurt walking down the sidewalk or giving each other high fives as we’ve seen star athletes do. Anyone and everyone that has ever gotten on a jet-ski has done something remotely close to this, atleast the splashing part. Can’t believe the AJC even reported this BS story.
TennGa
August 9th, 2012
4:40 pm
You Ga homers even commenting is funny. He wasnt driving the wrong way on his scooter. He didnt have an illegal gun under the seat and there was not a strong odor of weed coming out of the “JetSKI” ! Idiots. Oh and he is still rated above A.Murray.
Good comment!
tdog
August 9th, 2012
4:46 pm
dooley will cover all this up to keep bray eligible–he better win big this year or he’ll be out the door.
Backwoods Inbred Coaching at its finest
August 9th, 2012
5:12 pm
Honestly I would have thought Spurrier would win the biggest hypocrite award in the SEC and that is not easy to do with so many viable candidates who deserve such an award but Coach DOODOOley wins it hands down. Keep on laughing and making jokes Doobreath..hope you are still laughing when Tennessee fires you…Guarantee I will be
Sam Jones
August 9th, 2012
5:54 pm
I lost all respect for CDD when he brushed off Bray’s juvenile, thuggish behavior with the beer bottles. While it would be reasonable to expect that due to this latest incident, Bray will sit out a few games. But my bet is CDD will do what ever it takes to keep his job, including playing Bray.
OkieDawg
August 9th, 2012
6:04 pm
How on God’s green earth can Derelict Dooley play off Bray’s throwing beer bottles at cars as “silly behavior” and then joke about it? No wonder he lost control of the locker room last year. He needs to take off the silly orange pants and act like a head ball coach. His Mama needs to coach him up on coaching.
o-my dawgs
August 9th, 2012
6:42 pm
@8:22 you the jack a@@!
oldtimer
August 9th, 2012
8:19 pm
Tyler Bray is on the path to be the next Stephen Garcia and has a coach like Spurrier who has limited options and will not do anything about him.
cdpridg
August 9th, 2012
9:24 pm
Good example of hillbilly behavoir….this is normal up there.
5150 UOAD`
August 9th, 2012
11:23 pm
What is worse a lil fun on a jet ski or http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2012/08/09/alabama-accused-of-encouraging-recruit-to-transfer-high-schools/?cp=1#comment-286753
This is not Dooley's fault!
August 9th, 2012
11:27 pm
C’mon. This is NOT Dooley’s fault. Bray needs to account for his behavior. Period!