Maybe Mark Richt needs to add a driver’s ed teacher to his staff
Another Bulldog traffic arrest.
Well, we’re making progress. Of sorts.
At least Washaun Ealey, arrested early today on misdemeanor charges of driving with a suspended license and leaving the scene after hitting a parked truck in a campus deck, had a real license, albeit suspended. He wasn’t driving on a learner’s permit like some of his arrested teammates. And he wasn’t riding a scooter out of an alley.
Sorry, I know I should take any arrest by a UGA football player more seriously. But, really, the continuing ridiculous saga of the Bulldogs’ traffic court problems has become something of a joke. A not very funny joke.
The stupidest thing Ealey did was leave the scene after parking service attendants confronted him about the collision and told him to wait for police to arrive. It’s hard to figure how he thought he’d skate on that. Had he not noticed that UGA football players are not immune to arrest?
No alchohol was involved, thank goodness, so I’m not sure whether a couple of traffic misdemeanors rises to the level of missing any playing time or not in Mark Richt’s rule book. In this case, though, it probably ought to. Caleb King already was likely to be the starter in the opening game, so perhaps Ealey spending at least a half on the bench — or maybe the whole game — might help him to understand that as a Georgia Bulldog he’s in the spotlight. And he needs to act accordingly.
SIDELINING LORAN
Loran Smith deserves to be part of the broadcast. (Georgiadogs.com)
The news that Bulldogs radio network fixture Loran Smith is being replaced by Chuck Dowdle as sideline reporter during the football broadcasts shouldn’t really have surprised anyone. When the broadcast team was revamped last year in the wake of Larry Munson’s retirement a lot of folks thought ISP might take the opportunity to shift Loran out of the role in which he’d become more of a punch line than an asset and limit him to the pregame show. A year later, they’ve finally done that.
Make no mistake, Loran deserves to be part of the broadcast. As I wrote last year, no one questions that he is probably the most loyal citizen of the Bulldog Nation. He seems to know just about everyone and is topped probably only by the legendary Dan Magill in his knowledge of UGA athletics history. And his Bulldog bona fides are stellar. I mean, a couple of the Uga mascots have even been named after him!
But when Munson would throw it down to Smith with a “Whaddyagot, Loran?” you never knew what to expect except that only occasionally would it have any relevance to what was happening on the field. One of the most beloved stories among Georgia fans concerns the mid-game sideline report from Smith that then-Georgia defensive end Charles Grant likes boiled peanuts — a revelation that was met with silence from Munson, followed by, “Third and six.”
Bit by bit, Dowdle, now retired as WSB sports director, has been assuming Loran’s former jobs … first co-hosting the weekly coach’s TV show and then last year doing the postgame locker room interviews. Now the sideline reporting.
But with four hours of pregame show to fill before the kickoff, there still should be plenty of time for Loran’s rambling interviews with past players and sports celebs and his reminiscences about his many years of involvement with UGA. Listening to Loran is an integral part of tailgating in Athens. And most Dogs fans wouldn’t want it any other way.
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338 comments Add your comment
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
howtofish….that is where the 480 of the 3480.00 bail comes from.
.
Once the money was paid the failure to appear was dismissed automatically (under Georgia law) same as writing a bad check….once the money owed is paid and fine is paid the charge is dismissed. AGAIN, unless he was served (highly doubtful) then the charge of driving on a suspended license WILL BE dismissed. Hit and run of a PARKED vehicle is “striking an object” (for more on that refer to http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/08/27/washaun-ealey-arrested/
SSIgator
August 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
“Maybe Mark Richt needs to add a driver’s ed teacher to his staff”
Very good suggestion Bill, but don’t forget:
Dance Instructors – For the sidline entertainment
Family Tree Specialists – So the players know their full legal names
Fashion Editors – To pick the uni of the week
Pool Lifeguards – So nobody drowns during play time
Personal Escorts – For the players to get the front row seats at the local club
UGA Players Only Traffic Lane – Both to and from the the Athens
Technical Specialist – To program all of the players cell phones with speed-dial for requesting their attorney.
Mr. Reality Calling
August 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
I mean, how hard is it for Richt to impose a curfew on these guys during the season? The teams star running back doesn’t need to be out riding around at 3 in the morning, I don’t give a crap what anybody says about the “college experience.” That’s bull. If you are in the habit of staying out that late during the week, less than 10 days before the first game, it’s gonna effect your performance.
Fleming Island Dog
August 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
Here is anothe scenario “Tired” since I don’t think you were there and heard the conversation. Washaun “I bumped this truck a little bit’ Parking attendant “Hey Washaun we will take care of it you go on home” The police show up ‘Why did you let him leave/” Parking attendant “We told him to stay but he said no way” Like someone else said put yourself in their shoes and see if it’s really enough to be kicked off a team and possibly change your entire life consider him like he’s your son. Murder yes, bumping a car no.
how2fish
August 27th, 2010
1:14 pm
LOL no I’m not Bill King just little old me…and for the record I’m not apologizing for anything. UGA has had at my last count 9 players arrested this year…4 are no longer with the team…there is no much else a coach can do..deal with the problems as they occur and move on.
EducatorNTraining
August 27th, 2010
1:15 pm
The front page is saying this was a UGA truck. So, was this a student truck or property of the school?
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:16 pm
consequences?
.
1. he didnt pay a speeding ticket….its paid…what consequence?
.
2. He didnt know his license was suspended so why stop driving? (hence the Georgia legislature enacting the NOTICE OF SUSPENSION requirement…..what consequence?”
.
3. the only merit in this case is
papadawg
August 27th, 2010
1:17 pm
Ok as a longtime Dawg fan I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THIS STUPID BEHAVOIR. It is time to start kicking players off the team and I don’t care who they are
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
1:17 pm
Fleming Island Dog: It’s not the “crime”….It’s the trend in BEHAVIOR. Jeez, are all of you guys teenagers who think anyone should be able to do anything without being responsible for their actions (as long as they can pass or run with a football)?
And THIS is what you said: “Oh my God Rad Penties you don’t take care of a speeding ticket and your license is suspended and you bump a car is listed right under empire crumbling in the dictionary. Ealey is the first ever to drive with a license suspended god thing he didn’t jay walk or it would be an automatic expulsion. I understand the SWAT team had to knock twice before they got an answer at his door then found him hiding under his bed. Give me a break.”
See what I mean? You have no concept of responsibility for one’s own actions.
Delbert D.
August 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
A bench warrant is a variant of an arrest warrant that authorizes the immediate on-sight arrest of the individual subject to the bench warrant. Typically, judges issue bench warrants for persons deemed to be in contempt of court—possibly as a result of that person’s failure to appear at the appointed time and date for a mandated court appearance. Bench warrants are issued in either criminal or civil court proceedings.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
cont: on number 3
.
3. The only merit to this case is “striking and object”. In Georgia its not hit and run unless someone is in the other car and it is moving.. So its no more serious than backing into a post or fence or mailbox. Get real.
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
Were you there Fleming Island Dog? Where did you get those quotes? La-la land? Stop chasing the dragon man….You never can catch him!
Delbert D.
August 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
Oops. I didn’t make that up. I quoted it from the Wikipedia, which although is hardly perfect, is a more reliable source than our patrick.
EducatorNTraining
August 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
If Ealey can’t come up with $3500 to bond out how will he afford to pay for vehicle(s) repair?
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:22 pm
Delbert D.
August 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
A bench warrant is a variant of an arrest warrant that authorizes the immediate on-sight arrest of the individual subject to the bench warrant. Typically, judges issue bench warrants for persons deemed to be in contempt of court—possibly as a result of that person’s failure to appear at the appointed time and date for a mandated court appearance. Bench warrants are issued in either criminal or civil court proceedings.
…………………………………………….
bench warrants are dismissed in speeding cases once the fine is paid. Not generally issued for speeding tickets. PERIOD.
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
1:24 pm
how2. I agree. Trash talking needs to be fun. Everybody give this kid a break yeah it was dumb and he will pay or go back to jail. What makes me mad it that these guys continue to make dumb choices knowing the authorities are watching them very closely. These guys are scholarship players getting a free ride and an education if the choose to work at it. No respect.
Stratocaster
August 27th, 2010
1:26 pm
We’ve got to clean this up. It’s embarrassing. Do we really have that many numskulls on the team? Isn’t there a curfew? Can’t we make them call someone on Richt’s staff if they are out after midnight or if they need to get up at 3am and go somewhere? Take some of the money going into the facilities and buy a shuttle bus for crying out loud. Stop the insanity!
SSIgator
August 27th, 2010
1:27 pm
At this rate there will be enough UGA players to do a re-make of the movie “The Longest Yard” very soon. The only question will be who plays Burt Reynolds part in the movie?
Jeremy Foley
August 27th, 2010
1:29 pm
SSigator, We have already had those positions you mentioned in your posts at 1:12, and it does not appear to have kept us from some serious discipline problems, unlike the traffic violations at UGA.
I have told Urban he needs to crack down, but I cannot force the issue as long as Urban is winning big.
Delbert D.
August 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
patrick – Tim Tucker reported that the warrant was indeed issued. And you’ll hear no more from me on this; i’s not pleasant arguing with you an your ego and presumed intellectual superiority. I haven’t heard from you in your current incarnation since I had to explain to you several months ago that Jim Tressel actually has 4 national championships that were won on the field. Sayonara.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
it costs more to arrest, process, and house an inmate than a speeding ticket is worth. More likely than not, delbeert the dumbasz, the court merely notifies the DMV. The DMV sends out (as required by law) a cert letter giving you time to either pay the fine or have your license suspended. Once you sign the receipt at the post office you have been served and THEN and only THEN can you be arrested for driving on a suspended licence. If you notice he was NOT arrested on a bench warrant (HE WAS ARRESTED FOR DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED DRIVERS LISCENSE AND HIT AND RUN) but it was ADDED (the bench warrant) AT THE POLICE STATION.
Urban Meyer
August 27th, 2010
1:33 pm
Hey Mark,
Quit trying to make the rest of us look bad by giving game suspension for underage possession. Don’t you know the code of the SEC is that it only merits a slap on the wrist. Besides, I have enough to worry about with some of my egotistical recruits threatening mutiny.
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
1:34 pm
This shouldn’t even be a one game suspension. After reading some of the details I had almost the same thing happen to me involving a suspended license.
Got a speeding ticket and I was going to go to court. I screwed up and forgot about the court date. A few months later I was in Athens and got pulled over and I immediately remembered I had forgotten the court date. You just don’t realize how nervous you can be at that moment. Next thing I know I am tasting the hood of my car and then being treated like a major criminal. Technically they are just supposed to take your license away from you but I got a trip to jail anyway. The judge threw out the driving on a suspended license and I had to pay the speeding fines and no one suspened me from my job for being stupid.
He’ll pay for the damages, pay the fines, and that will be a lesson he won’t forget. This would be alot different if the parking attendant was a cop or if the accident had been on an actual road or if alcholol had been involved.
This is being blown way out of proportion and I hope that all of the people bashing this kid get treated the same when they screw up.
Fleming Island Dog
August 27th, 2010
1:34 pm
Tired again I didn’t say he shouldn’t be responsible. Rad Penties is blaming Richt and his crumbling dynasty for driver’s license problems and kids bumping cars. Again I din’t condone leaving and you act like you were there and heard what the parking attendants told him. Maybe they are trying to cover for themselves now. Still not eluding police that is much more serious and involves actually having police in sight trying to stop you not just supposedly someo witness said they told him to stop. I never said kids should be held responsible just don’t blow it up bigger than it is and say “eluding police” why do you want ot make it bigger than it is? Did some big football player hurt your feelings? Maybe when you get your training wheels off you will get a license yourself. Last time yes the kid should be held responsible and yes if the police grabbed his arm or got behind him with their lights on and he kept running “eluding police” then kick him off the team. For now he bumped a car and some parking attendant says they told him to wait not eluding police suspension is fine.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:36 pm
we have never discussed Jim Tressel.
how2fish
August 27th, 2010
1:37 pm
Wreckem bottom line is there is no pill to cure youthful dumbazz…I wish there was I’d of saved a TON of money in my youth.SSlgator perhaps we could borrow your team’s rifle instructor…
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
patrick: Remember how you said Ealey’s license WASN”T SUSPENDED because he didn’t know it was suspended and it was OK for him to still drive? ROTFLMAO….Sorry…Can’t stop laughing….
“Ealey was charged with speeding and tag violations on May 30, she said, and failed to appear for a scheduled court date on July 12. That failure to appear triggered a suspension of Ealey’s driver’s license”.
Sorry mate, but it appears he was driving on a suspended license after all (which kind of explains why he was CHARGED with driving on a suspended license, huh?) Don’t you have a test to study for or something. Aren’t you in law school? [snicker, snicker]
nonsense
August 27th, 2010
1:39 pm
Irresponsible, incompetent, and down right stupid. Here’s an idea, once you get a speeding ticket, etc., go ahead and take care of it. Don’t wait, forget about it and have another incident occur.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:42 pm
chdawg………….many over zealous police officers do that. They dont know the law. EVERY time you are arrested for “driving on a suspended license” and they cant show notice given…IT WILL BE THROWN OUT. The language in the statute is clear and unambiguous…..you MUST have been served first. In fact the date you were served MUST be on the ticket or even if you were served the case will be dismissed.
Fleming Island Dog
August 27th, 2010
1:42 pm
Yes if everyone paif their tickets and did what they were supposed to and if coaches could stop young players from doing stupid things then we could achieve that all over the world and all would be perfect no crime no need for police just a perfect little world. Anyone that thinks there is any coach capable of doing this or any coach that actually prevents all stupid actions then he is living in a bubble.
Jeff
August 27th, 2010
1:44 pm
well, well, well…..same old crap…..here we go yet again…..This team will be no different from the last 3 or 4…..sooooooooo sick and tired . Coach Richt needs to kick his butt off the team and move on. to the rest: GET IN LINE AND ACT LIKE YOU CARE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Delbert D.
August 27th, 2010
1:45 pm
Sorry patrick, your memory fails you, and you’ve done the ad hominem thing by calling me a name:
“delbeert the dumbasz”.
So, to you I say, tu fare un giro, and we shall therefore not discuss anything more.
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
1:45 pm
Fleming Island Dog: I’m not acting like I was there and heard what was said. Never said that at all. But I did read the AJC account of what was said at the scene:
““Parking Services employees witnessed the accident, made contact with the driver and advised him to wait because police had been called,” Williamson said. “The driver advised he could not wait and left the scene after parking the car.”
And I said “in some states” it could be considered fleeing or attempting to elude. Consider this: He hit a parked truck. Witnesses told him the police were called and were on their way. I’m sure he wasn’t trying to avoid a confrontation with police when he left the scene….Right? I’m sure he wasn’t trying to avoid being arrested when he left the scene…Right? I’m sure he didn’t think the police would give chase and find him when he left the scene….Right?
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:46 pm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
patrick: Remember how you said Ealey’s license WASN”T SUSPENDED because he didn’t know it was suspended and it was OK for him to still drive? ROTFLMAO….Sorry…Can’t stop laughing….
=================================================
no moron….no one said his license was not suspended…….in Georgia you HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED that they are BEFORE you can be ARRESTED. If you are stopped and they are suspended and you were not notified, you must be then be notified by that officer and sent walking….unless you have another licensed person with you your car will be impounded.. Learn to read.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:49 pm
never discussed Jim Tressel. I know nothing about the man….not an Ohio St fan nior am I a Big Ten fan. Cant even name all ten schools (or 11) so what would we be talking about it for anyway? Never been on a jim tressel blog nor a big ten blog….I stick to GA blogs.
Dawg Trainer
August 27th, 2010
1:50 pm
So I see the word “arrest” and the first thing that came to mind was “karma is a beyotch”. Then I take the time to look at the actual facts and come to the conclusion that this is small potatoes. No need to get kicked off the team, maybe a game suspension at worst (he wouldn’t get even that if I was coach). Lots of overreaction on this blog.
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
1:52 pm
The judge in my case was not happy when she found out I was arrested without being notified. She was even less happy when she found out my license was never physically taken from me. I never made a big deal about it becuase it was my mistake that caused the problem in the first place.
Just pay the damages and fines and move on. No need for a suspension.
Joe
August 27th, 2010
1:54 pm
Tired: When I was 25 I got my first speeding ticket ever. For some strange reason and vague rule I had to actually show up to court but was never informed, was never served, never even got a notice of any sort. I paid the ticket through the mail but my license was still suspended.
It’s called inexperience. I thought it was done and over with and never received any info to the contrary, until I got pulled over for doing 6 mph over on a side road one day. The Cop was very cool and said hey, just letting you know, need to slow it down, then ran my license, then told me my license was suspended.
It was a complete shock to me. Not that that’s what happened but why don’t we give these “kids” the benefit of the doubt until we have reason to do otherwise.
Let’s see, 8 out of 80……….you think 1 out of 10 kids in college has some sort of minor fender bender, underage drinking, stupid thing they’ve done.
Give it a rest, and give these kids a bit of a break. They are kids, regardless of being 18 or 19, people at that age make stupid decisions sometimes.
AND………you’re only hearing one side of the story, but you’re ready to crucify this guy. Maybe you should go live in a country where you are not considered innocent before being proven guilty.
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
1:55 pm
I did read and YOU said he should continue driving on a suspended license. Is that your legal advice for the day: “Everybody just continue driving on your suspended licenses because patrick said that’s what you should do”….
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:16 pm
consequences?
.
1. he didnt pay a speeding ticket….its paid…what consequence?
.
2. He didnt know his license was suspended so why stop driving? (hence the Georgia legislature enacting the NOTICE OF SUSPENSION requirement…..what consequence?”
patrick says there are no consequences for traffic violations in Georgia. patrick says the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are real. He’s met them both….
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:55 pm
no where in this article does it say Ealey had been given lawful notice that his license was suspended. Now 20 years ago the law was different. But currently NOTICE must be given. There was a time that an assumption was made that you were notified by virtue of the fact you failed to appear and therefore KNEW your license would be but that was struck down years ago.
EducatorNTraining
August 27th, 2010
1:57 pm
Joe,
He isn’t 18 or 19. He’s 21.
Rumbo
August 27th, 2010
1:58 pm
No biggie. He will have to sit out a cup-cake game as per standard procedure.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
1:59 pm
the number 2…..was “since he DIDNT KNOW why would he stop? Unless you think he is a mind reader or fortune teller why would a man with a valid copy of a license in his pocket ASSUME the thing was suspend with out notice? There would be no reason for him to stop driving unless he knew they were not valid and the only way he could know is with NOTICE.. AGAIN learn to read or better yet….comprehend what you read.
how2fish
August 27th, 2010
1:59 pm
Dawg Trainer damn we agree on something….wow who knew right?
Joe
August 27th, 2010
1:59 pm
either way, 18 19 21, MOST people make stupid mistakes, childish mistakes until they grow up get out of college, get married and actually have to take care of themselves. This thing is getting blown WAY OT OFF PROPORTION.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:02 pm
I never said “he should drive even if he knew his DL was suspened”. I said “why would he stop driving NOT KNOWING they were. Show me where he was given NOTICE and knew they were suspend. Then I will need for YOU to introduce me to Santa
Fleming Island Dog
August 27th, 2010
2:02 pm
Tired. Yes if he was there when the police were there and they told him to syop and he took off then they would chase him and it would be eluding. The fact is bumping any object you only have to notify. I don’t know exactly what was said to him and yes I’m sure he didn’t want to wait for the police and I said he should have called the police himself but you do belive eberything you read in the paper and every witness tells the entire truth right? Hoew do you know they didn’t say hey Washaun you better get out of here. You don’t. I was the one that said he should have called the police himself but wake up. Being told by some parking attendant that we called police because you bumped a car (in GA same as bumping a fence etc.) no lives at risk no moving car just a staionary object is not the same as eluding police. To hear you talk once he left after being warned by some witness they should have got copters in the air and called the SWAT team. I’m willing to bet they didn’t even turn their lights on driving to the apartment. Again I’m just saying look it up if it was considered eluding police they would have charged him with that. Get the giant chip off your shoulder and blowing it up bigger than it is. I agree should have called police I said that but saying he eluded police which is a felony because some parking lot attendant may have told him to stay or may not have is stupid.
N.GA.DAWG
August 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
1 game maybe 2. And still running! Go DAWGS!
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
@patrick
How do you know he wasn’t given notice? Just because the article doesn’t say so? That’s a mighty big ASSumption.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:05 pm
1. you go to DMV
.
2. You purchase a DL
.
3. You drive on said DL until such time as told by the state not to.
.
4. You were NEVER told not to continue to drive.
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5 Why would you stop driving without knowledge your licence was suspended.
.
6 Now introduce me to the tooth fairy…numbnutz