Two other UGA players named, not charged, in police report (UPDATED)
UPDATE, 3:45 P.M. MONDAY:
ATHENS — Two teammates of arrested Georgia football players Dontavius Jackson and Tavarres King are named in the UGA Police Department’s report on the weekend incident.
Cornerback Branden Smith was a passenger in the vehicle driven by Jackson but was the only one of the five people in the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche not arrested because he “was determined to have not been drinking,” according to the police incident report obtained by the AJC today.
Also, an identification card issued to Vance Cuff, a Georgia cornerback, was found on a female passenger in the vehicle and taken into evidence, according to the incident report. Cuff was not in the vehicle.
The report said Jackson, who was arrested on DUI and five other misdemeanor charges, “admitted to having consumed 2 shots while downtown” after initially telling police he had not consumed any alcohol. Jackson “appeared to not be trying to provide a sufficient sample” on the breath test, according to the report, and told police during a field sobriety test that a left knee injury affected his balance. The report said Jackson “stated that he had rear ended another vehicle” moments earlier.
King and two other passengers, not UGA athletes, were arrested on charges of underage possession of alcohol.
POSTED 7:33 P.M. SUNDAY:
The two Georgia football players arrested on alcohol-related charges this weekend were suspended from the team Sunday night by coach Mark Richt.
Backup tailback Dontavius Jackson and starting split end Tavarres King have been suspended indefinitely from all team activities, Richt said. More specifically, Richt said, Jackson will be required to sit out at least the first six games of the season — half of the schedule — and King will miss at least the Sept. 4 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Richt said he is still gathering information, which could lead to additional penalties.
“I’m disappointed in their decision-making and lack of judgment, and they will both pay a stiff price,” Richt said in a statement. “All our players need to understand that it’s a privilege to be a Bulldog, and their conduct needs to reflect the standards we expect.”
Jackson and King were arrested early Saturday after their vehicle was pulled over by UGA Police. Jackson, 20, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, underage possession of alcohol, following too closely, leaving the scene of an accident, violation of the move-over law and violation of learner’s permit. King, 19, was charged with underage possession of alcohol. Two other passengers in the vehicle — not UGA athletes — also were charged with underage possession of alcohol. A fourth passenger was not arrested.
The alcohol-related arrests of Jackson and King came just days after UGA athletics director Damon Evans resigned in the aftermath of his June 30 DUI arrest in Atlanta.
Jackson and King are the sixth and seventh Georgia football players arrested this year.
UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson told the AJC that Jackson and King were arrested after a series of events on East Campus Road early Saturday morning.
Williamson said two patrol cars were at an unrelated traffic stop when a vehicle — later determined to be driven by Jackson — passed at an inappropriate speed and failed to move over. As one of the patrol cars began pursuit of Jackson for allegedly violating the move-over law, a third officer put out a radio report of an incident moments earlier in which a vehicle had left the scene of a minor accident after rear-ending another car. The description of the vehicle that allegedly left the scene of the accident matched the one being pursued for the move-over violation, Williamson said.
When the vehicle was pulled over, Jackson was driving and had four passengers, Williamson said. Police determined the vehicle had damage consistent with the earlier accident. There were no injuries in that accident, Williamson said.
The vehicle, a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche, is registered to King, Williamson said.
- More details on the arrests are here.
- And go here if you’re ready to talk some (on-the-field) Georgia football.
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601 comments Add your comment
KnoxDawg
July 11th, 2010
9:35 pm
There should be a law (maybe there is?) called Failure To Do Right (FTDR). There could be a 3rd degree for being stupid and getting arrested the first time for things like MIP. The second offense is the second degree and the 3rd time is the 1st degree. As Jackson and King proved, being guilty of FTDR can get you suspended. For more serious offenses, we’ll them Stupid Off Campus (SOC). First degree SOC will get you arrested, fired, likely divorced and probably convicted of DUI, especially if you are an AD. Second degree of SOC will get you get kicked off the team, especially if you are a QB and it has to do with grabbing a young lady inappropriately. I am a Dawg fan living in Knoxville and there is a lot of FTDR and SOC going on with the Vols, too.
dawgster
July 11th, 2010
9:36 pm
Big Boys Dont Cry…it takes a lot of guts to sit behind the computer and spit out insults to others, you show alot of class…KimZ’sPackage, whether to kick the guys off the team or not is not up to us, i do believe the coaching staff will look at the facts and make a final decision based on that not what everyone on here thinks as most of the time they do not have all of the facts…I don’t know if these actions by these players deserve completely being kicked off the team, perhaps they do, and perhaps it will send a message to the team, but we lose our AD, and the possible starting QB for next year are gone for making unwise decisions and yet still these incidents happen…and yes it happens at all schools, don’t be fooled that it isn’t, we just get first hand news here at the AJC and locally….Maybe Coach Richt should just kick players off for any offense or lack of judgement 0 tolerance, maybe that would work, who knows, but i’m glad my parents and i am glad as a parent and coach that i didn’t give up on kids as quickly as some on here would like…And by no means am i downplaying the DUI’s and underage drinking that we have seen in the news way too often with the football team…Whaever happens i hope these incidents have an impact on other young kids in their decision making…
tenn.DAWG
July 11th, 2010
9:36 pm
Remember they did nothing different than what 80% of the student population does at most schools.They should be delt with in a serious manner,but it’s not like tennessee where they gang banged an officer of law and kicked his head in until his brain bled and so far one out of seven has been dismissed from the team.Keep things in perspective.
HugoStiglitz
July 11th, 2010
9:36 pm
Six game suspension for a DUI? The guy put his life, his passengers life, and the lives of everyone on the road in danger and he get a six game suspension. What a joke. I wish the NCAA would set some guidelines on this because the coaches and schools themselves obviously dont care what their players do. King also comes along for the ride and only has to sit out one meaningless game. Players are going to keep getting arrested if this is the harshest punishment they will face.
Delbert D.
July 11th, 2010
9:37 pm
I doubt if they went through a lot of risk vs. reward math calculations.
I’d still like to know how King got a Chevy Avalanche when he was 18 and I had a beat up, $75 1958 Simca. With a rag for a gas cap, ’cause I couldn’t find a metric gas cap.
KimZ'sPackage
July 11th, 2010
9:38 pm
Savannah DeWitt what is Jackson’s degree in that he will use to become an asset? Housing, PE coach or the Big one for last years graduating players Social Services? KING was in the wrong place at the wrong time? He was in his own car. He just got the other fool to drive while he was hitting on the chick in the back with him.
kerryb
July 11th, 2010
9:40 pm
I’ve been reading some of the comments and some are saying that if Richt does’nt have anymore control than this he should be fired. Well, all of you who are saying this must not have any teens. And especially don’t have any teens that you did’nt raise. Listen, all the man can do is try to teach them that certain things will not be allowed and punish them when they do them. The next time one of your teens go out and get into trouble maybe someone should fire you from your job and take your kids away.
Steve "The King!" Spurrier
July 11th, 2010
9:40 pm
Hypocrisy is the vasoline of college athletics.
GreenJacket
July 11th, 2010
9:41 pm
I could have written this article before Richt ever announced his decision.
Starter=suspended for game against Little Sisters of the Poor
3rd string hack=”suspended” (wasn’t EVER going to see the field) for a few weeks.
Richt is a HUGE red panty wearing hypocrite.
40 arrests in 2 plus years. My goodness what and embarrassment to the state.
Scott
July 11th, 2010
9:42 pm
the whole dad gum athletic dept should be disbanded and the entire university be shut down for a minimum of 5 years.
By god that’ll get somebody’s attention
td
July 11th, 2010
9:43 pm
What is the penalty at any of the Georgia Colleges for MIP or DUI for students on the HOPE scholarship? I think I read last year that the players commit the same number of offences % wise as the total student population. Should not they all receive the same penalties or do we just discriminate on the athletes?
Steve "The King!" Spurrier
July 11th, 2010
9:44 pm
Let’s vote to make Clarke County dry.
Jane
July 11th, 2010
9:44 pm
Kerry, I agree. A lot of these kids were drinking before they got to UGA and it’s not just the athletes. Colleges have a problem & we can act like it’s only football players but that is not going to deal with the ACTUAL problem. So, if Richt is responsible for the athletes drinking, why is Adams not responsible for the non-athletes?
Notewise
July 11th, 2010
9:45 pm
So the BACK-UP gets a suspension of 6 games while the STARTER gets 1 and they were in the same vehicle?? Typical….sad and typical. Use some of that UGA athletic $$ to buy yourself a pair, Richt!
dawggirl
July 11th, 2010
9:45 pm
“My goodness what an [poster's correction] embarrassment to the state.”
No, GreenJacket. That would be your team’s record in bowl games.
Delbert D.
July 11th, 2010
9:45 pm
@tennDawg “Remember they did nothing different than what 80% of the student population does at most schools.”
One big difference is that unlike “the 80%”, they are being paid to not only go to school, but to follow clear orders as public figures not to break the law and humiliate the university that is paying them.
Steve
July 11th, 2010
9:45 pm
Where is Bradley’s outrgage?
poor decisions
July 11th, 2010
9:46 pm
isn’t it the case that jackson was driving king’s car? king’s lack of judgment is more than MIP. they all fled the scene of an accident, another terrible decision.
Big Boys Dont Cry !
July 11th, 2010
9:46 pm
Dawgster….. Feeling is mutual my freind. Jackson needs to be kicked off. The police report bares the facts my friend. My opinion is mine and yours is yours but dont tell me and others to cool it when we disagree with Richts handling of the situation.
CMR has laid out the punishment already and if he wanted to wait and see if more punishment is needed then he should have waited till everything is final.
UGA insider
July 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
give them a pair of red panties and a quarter of a million dollars and mention Jesus Christ dying for their sins. SSDD at UGA. Cash another check for $3million and call it a season, CMR. These rubes will worship you no matter what.
Dawg Whisperer
July 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
I’ve got no problem with the manner in which coach Richt is handling this situation. He doesn’t have the luxury of those who prefer a knee jerk reaction of tossing the players onto a dung pile. Instead, he is taking the practical approach of fully investigating the facts which is in the best interests of the school and the involved players. An informed decision is a prerequisite before dispensing the proper punishment. Sometimes these blogs read like a lynch mob mentality. I do like the suggestion of meting out team punishment when one of the team members violates the rules. Team peer pressure is an awesome tool that could be very effective.
father garducci
July 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
Eliminate the drinking age (why should the govt. have any say at what age you should enjoy God’s oats&barley), legalize marijuana (enlightenment means to lighten up), ban organized religion (the dumbest people you know are born-again christians,outside of muslims) and last but not least hand-out free red panties for all home games for all the fine co-eds…..
Few rotten apples make the bunch look bad
July 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
We are seeing there are rotten apples in the Georgia football program. They are spoiling the image of the program. CMR needs to bear down, set the rules and clean up the program. I am tired of being a UGA alumni (class of 69) who is made the laughing stock of other teams. People think we have classes like Drinking 101, driving without license 102, how to whip up on a female 101 and how to hold red panties between your legs 202. It’s time to clean it up and get the bad apples out. There are some great young men on the UGA team but the thugs are being allowed to give everyone a bad name. I would prefer to lose with integrity and quality than win with low-life morons who can’t put words in a sentence together and don’t think a thing about getting drunk out of their mind and getting behind the wheel of a car. My children are in Athens and I cringe to know UGA football players are loose in Athens. When someone dies at the hands of a drunk football player, maybe something will be done. Come on Mark, get it done and clean up the mess NOW.
Doggey Gone Too
July 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
When all you recruit is THUGS you get what THUGS do. Let’s start recruiting true student athletes!
Shine on shameless thUGs
July 11th, 2010
9:47 pm
thUG’s male mascot cannot naturally fertilize an egg – here’s the proof – dawgs arent woth a ____-
It’s good to be A Drunk at thUGA, you ge a bonus for behavior otherwise considered well thUGish.
And now this – consistency – Congradulations NCAA record for thUGnis.
Must make dawgs proud of that diploma.
Boise State #1
July 11th, 2010
9:48 pm
Everyone of you hypocrites consumed your fair share of suds during your college days. Shut up and keep your worthless opinions to yourselves. I can send these boys to war to protect my country, but I can’t buy them a beer. The 21 year age limit statute, is another example of laws that make no sense and can not be enforced. This officer should be reprimanded for his or her penny ante attempt at worthless enforcment. See a young African-American in a nice vehicle, a red neck cop will always pounce into action. How many other serious crimes were being committed, while half of the campus police were salivating about getting their names in the paper by harrassing these kids. Idaho has a tenth of the population of Georgia and a 1000 times the class. You people need to come into the 21st century. It is not hip being backwoods your entire life.
rick
July 11th, 2010
9:48 pm
At least make ‘em finish practicing in the summer heat and two-a-days. THEN tell them they’re suspended.
Ringleader
July 11th, 2010
9:49 pm
Yes, UGA has had a bunch of arrests. But things are no different than it was in the 60’s. Adams controls the University Police, Jimmy Williamson was hand picked to replace the forced retirement of the previous chief, at the same time he replaced the ticket manager and AD, and so on. The previous chief had been on the football team, and worked hand in hand with Coach Dooley. Had this happened in the 60’s, 70’s 80’s or 90’s there would have been a call made to McWhorter and nothing would have been public. Let me tell you, there would have been punishment, perhaps suspension, but you would have never known what had happened. Three years ago, Auburn has a similar problem with the campus cops, you know what happened, they dismissed the entire department. There are no, 0, campus cops at Auburn now. The city will respond, but only when called. This entire “arrest” problem, scooter violations, and I know, perhaps a DUI, is properly laid right at Adams feet. It is not done that way at any other SEC school. Adams is the root of this problem, he wants to be in total command.
Big Boys Dont Cry !
July 11th, 2010
9:50 pm
Some of you like to use the analogy that everyone does it. Well many people speed pn the highway but do they all get caught ? Nope but the ones that do has to pay the fine….. Its called consequences. Live it, learn it and embrace it!
Jim
July 11th, 2010
9:51 pm
Show me the MONEY!
get real
July 11th, 2010
9:51 pm
Am I the only one who see’s the hypocrisy in all these athens arrest of college athletes and students? The city of Athens issues all these permits to these local bars to serve alcohol to whom? College students! Then the athens city police go out and arrest students for alcohol related charges after the students drink in the bars that the city allow to operate. If all the under 21 quit drinking then 75% of the bars would go out fo business. And don’t me tell that the city officials don’t know this to be true. Most college students today are no different than other generations. I know a bunch of older gentleman who attended UGA back in the sixties and they were crazy as hell. You would not believe some of the stories they told me. But they didn’t live in a police state like we do in today’s society. College kid’s today are no worse than past generation’s but it is so much easier to get into trouble. In today’s instant twitter/internet generation athletes can’t break wind without the whole world knowing about it. Back in the old days football players in Athens went out and got drunk and got into fights. The only difference is you would never heard a word about it.
KimZ'sPackage
July 11th, 2010
9:51 pm
dawg girl are you sure GREENJACKET isn’t an Augusta person that plays golf and not a TECH fan? The Masters and Green Jackets. I don’t know but I didn’t hear anything Tech.
Dawg Whisperer
July 11th, 2010
9:52 pm
Father garducci, having read your comments, I now know that ignorance is bliss. I didn’t realize how dumb following God’s word was until you enlightened me. Thanks, I’ll pray for you.
joe
July 11th, 2010
9:53 pm
Coach Richt MUST impose stiffer penalties fro drunk and drug realted issues. The players don’t care if they sit fro a game or 6. They know the system is broken and they will continue laughing at the crapy penalties delivered. Enough is enough Coach Richt. Make an example of some idiots like these ones and by sending them packing and you will see the quality [layers you will end up getting in tghe future.
mike
July 11th, 2010
9:53 pm
All you guys calling for these kids to be kicked off the team are idiots. I guess no one has ever gotten drunk in college while under the age of 21. Remember, these are kids under the age of 21. They are going to do things like drink alcohol.
kerryb
July 11th, 2010
9:54 pm
All of you people making fun of Richt being a religous man and acting like he is insincere about it, sleep well tonight. Hopefully you will wake up tomorrow and not have to answer for it.
Duh Rick
July 11th, 2010
9:54 pm
Burn’em at the stake ! ! !
dawggirl
July 11th, 2010
9:55 pm
Fair point, KimZ’sPackage. Guess he’s a Tiger fan then. What a great role model.
Red
July 11th, 2010
9:55 pm
Why do some of you keep blaming Coach Richt? He can only discipline these kids up to a point. The rest is up to the players as to whether they abide by the law or suffer the consequences. You all think Coach Richt is enjoying seeing these kids make poor judgment? You guys are such morons. Just get off the UGA forum.
GreenJacket
July 11th, 2010
9:56 pm
dawggiegirl. There is a VERY REAL sickness in the Thuga “program”. If you are not totally embarrassed by your players and your staff and Red Panties Richt then you are part of the sickness.
Kick these guys off the team. Run a respectable program. Stop embarrassing this state.
Dawgs 98
July 11th, 2010
9:56 pm
Here’s another fallacy in the NCAA rule doing away with athletic dorms! It was much easier for the coaching staff to account for everyone being where they were supposed to be. This didn’t happen nearly as much when everyone lived in McWhorter Hall. Granted there were no internet blogs, 24-hour news cycles, and the cops didn’t go out of their way to bust players (and trust me…you didn’t ever want to be summoned to Coach Dooley’s office for the ), but there has to be a better way. At the end of the day, it still boils down to these young men taking personal responsibility for their actions without their parents or coaches looking over their shoulders 24-hours a day.
rick
July 11th, 2010
9:56 pm
Mike, yeah, but how many were in college on a full ride representing the school on national television?
boots
July 11th, 2010
9:56 pm
I think the one game suspension is about right for King. Plus, he will run a lot, and his own family will deal with him. The number of ANY college with underage drinkers is about 85%. For those few people on this board who actually went to a university, I’m laying down $ that almost all of you drank like Otis on Andy Griffith. Now, for Jackson, it is likely that he will end up red-shirting, if he still can, and be done for the year. You don’t sit out six games and then break in to the starting line-up anytime soon, especially during the time of the year when we start the heart of our schedule.
I’m still wondering why ZERO out of the “ten to twelve” Vols players involved in the bar fight got an underage possession charge. Come on – at least the Athens and UGA police are not looking the other way like they do at other schools. Of that, we can be sure.
Why is it so difficult to bring this team under control?
July 11th, 2010
9:57 pm
If they get arrested, they are put on suspension and probaation. Do the deal again and you are out of here. This is King’s second year of this. Does he really care about the team and UGA?
He just wants a good time. I don’t know if these players are stupid, don’t care or have decided to do what they want to do regardless of the consequences. They know what they are doing. They just don’t care. CMR needs to meet with the team, tell them the deal and then if they choose to do their own thing … get them out. We are better off without them. I am disappointed in CMR. If he doesn’t have the strength and ability to lead the team members above this behavior, I don’t care how good a coach he is …. he’s not doing it right. Reel them in Mark and make believers out of them until what we have left are men of integrity and not criminals. Drinking, driving, killing people with cars, leaving the scene of an accident, beating up your wife and hundreds of other things not reported or caught makes out program look like it is out of control. Every time I pick up a newspaper, I think not again. I am beginning to think UGA has become “Thug U”.
Cousin Curtis
July 11th, 2010
9:59 pm
There are quite a few things finer in the land than a drunk obnoxious Georgia fan, by the way. Always hated that chant.
DMACK
July 11th, 2010
10:00 pm
Thugs + Academic Rejects / poor upbringing = Winning Football Program
Mannerable Kid + Academic Scholar/family supports = Competitive Team
Big Harry Dawg
July 11th, 2010
10:01 pm
Let me first say that most everyone on here talking bad about CMR are a bunch of Fleas from Atlanta! I went to a Frat party out there one time and to tell you the truth I couldn’t drink enough to make the girls pretty and the guys (I could only tell them a part because they had pocket protectors) were standing around talking about school… true story.
As far as these two knuckleheads, CMR will take care of the issue; he has always been fair even when everyone else wanted to kick players from the team, like say the incident with the cab!
Besides, its not like anyone here really makes a bit of difference when it comes to the program and the decisions it makes.
Dawgs 98
July 11th, 2010
10:01 pm
That’s ” you didn’t want to be being summoned to Coach Dooley’s office for the stuff that seems to be reported on too frequently as of late”
JC
July 11th, 2010
10:01 pm
Anyone who thinks Richt does not have integrity is not very smart. He has his own family to worry about, he can’t be with all of his players 24/7 so don’t blame him. I am a grad and grew up in Athens…it is not fun to read this type of story…BUT, we are talking about kids. People, please relax…it is not the end of the world and Richt is still who I want coaching our football team.
father garducci
July 11th, 2010
10:02 pm
My sources tell me, Richt will hold them out until half-time and then perform a baptismal forgiving these fine student athletes of their sins and we will all be witness to the glory of redemption as they lead us to victory in the 2nd half…Amen.