Caleb King’s status on team unclear after arrest (updated w/ Richt comments)
(Updated 9:10 p.m.)
Two days after Georgia’s football team won its first game in more than a month, the bad news resumed for the Bulldogs: The team had its 11th player arrested this year.
Tailback Caleb King spent about six hours Monday in the Clarke County Jail on a bench warrant issued after he failed to appear in court in Walton County to address a speeding ticket.
By late morning, King was released on $380 bond, which officials said would be used to satisfy the speeding fine. But how the issue will affect his status on the Georgia team remains unclear.
Coach Mark Richt did not make an announcement or meet with reporters Monday. He discussed the issue on his weekly radio show Monday night but did not say what action he will take.
“Getting a speeding ticket, not paying it and not showing up for a court date is certainly not a very responsible thing, but I can’t say it’s some kind of awful act that we all should just be ashamed of,” Richt said. “But certainly … all of these young men have to understand they have a responsibility to take care of whatever issue they have.
“If they have a ticket, they need to pay it. If they don’t [pay it], they need to show up for the court date. Those things are certainly obvious, and we have to get better at those kinds of things.”
Later, Richt referred to the King situation when asked if freshman running back Ken Malcome might play for the first time.
“There’s a good chance that happens,” Richt said. “We’re not saying for 100 percent certain he will, but the situation that Caleb has gotten himself into and the fact that [tailback] Carlton Thomas’ hamstring may or may not be ready by the end of the week, it may be that Ken has to play.”
To another caller who said he hopes King is not kicked off the team, Richt replied: “We’re just going to do what we feel like is the right thing to do. Bottom line is, we’ve got to make sure everybody takes care of business.”
Of the 10 players previously arrested this year, Richt dismissed four from the team and, in most of the other cases, issued suspensions of at least one game. King’s is the first case involving failure to appear in court for a speeding ticket.
King was arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police after his brother, Brandon King, was pulled over in east Athens around 4 a.m. Monday for driving without a working tag light, according to police spokeswoman Hilda Sorrow. The stop of Brandon King triggered a series of events that led to the discovery of the outstanding warrant for his brother.
First, Brandon King, 23, was placed under arrest when it was determined he was driving with a suspended license, police said. Then, officers asked Brandon King to call the owner of the vehicle he was driving, a 1996 Ford Explorer, and have it picked up.
The vehicle’s owner, Georgia football player Brandon Wood, arrived at the scene five minutes later and was accompanied by Caleb King, according to police. Officers checked the two players’ licenses and discovered the outstanding warrant from nearby Walton County for Caleb King’s arrest. He was booked into the Clarke County Jail shortly after 5 a.m.
Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman said the warrant had been issued by a judge after King, 22, failed to pay a fine or appear in court in connection with a speeding ticket this past summer.
King received a citation June 20 for driving 76 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone on Highway 78, Chapman said. The warrant was issued by a judge after King failed to appear for an Aug. 6 court date.
King was released on bond from the Clarke County Jail at 10:45 a.m. Monday. His $380 bond will be used to pay the speeding ticket, an official with the Walton County Sheriff’s Department said.
Two players said King participated in Georgia’s practice Monday evening.
King’s arrest was the second of a football player since UGA President Michael Adams last month called on the athletics department to deal with the proliferation of arrests.
“We have had too much in the football team,” Adams said in a Sept. 18 interview. “And so we expect the coaches and the AD’s to provide role models and leadership for their players, and I told the whole Athletic Association that” in an early-September staff meeting.
King’s arrest was his second since joining the Georgia program. In 2007, he was arrested by UGA Police for driving a motor-scooter with a suspended license and going the wrong way on a one-way street.
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923 comments Add your comment
dawgfan13
October 11th, 2010
6:05 pm
I think the biggest problem here is that fact these players are full aware of whats going on with this program and what happened in repantygate! It seems like they would do any and everything to stay out of trouble, including going to court for court dates. The fact that Caleb forgot is even more damming! These players have to know that Georgia is under a lot of scrutiny from the media both nationally as well as local as well as the University and for Caleb to forget his court date or just not show up is, i hate to say this, is inexcusable. These players have no regard for the University or the coaches. AJ Green knew what he was doing when he sold that jersey, but he didnt care Caleb knew, he didnt care, Ealy knew after being warned by the coaches, he didnt care. What a SHAME!
StraightJacket
October 11th, 2010
6:05 pm
New Musical Jingle for the Mark Ricked Show!
To the tune of “The Beverly Hillbillies”:
Come and listen to my story ‘bout a Coach we hail,
leads a bunch of mutts; but caint keep ‘em out-of-jail,
and then one day, he was readin’ on the blotter,
… and in walks Damon with somebody’s daughter.
Swerving Bimmer. Red Panties.
Well the first thing ya know, Coach Ricked’s a Marked Man.
Some loyal mutts said “Now, ****’* hit the FAN!
But the players all said “He’ll beat our rap slate”,
‘Cause we got a game ‘gainst Mississippi State!”
Starkville, that is. VCR rental stores; Retired Wal-Mart greeters. …..
The Mark Ricked Show!!!!
Great entertainment!
I say give Mark Ricked a Paul Hewitt “everGREEN 7 year roll-over contract”. We need the humor during these tough economic times.
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:06 pm
Dawgpaw,
No sir, this is the not going to end with another array of
EXCUSES
from you.
11 arrests since March 7, 2010.
This is October 11
mama always said:
October 11th, 2010
6:06 pm
“Son, did you come here to play football or to go to school?” “Son, if you are going to play football here you need to stay out of jail, go to class, and make a passing grade”
big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:07 pm
Simple – understand. I am with you. 4 guys have been kicked off the team. You just don’t do that for
a minor deal like this. Just my opinion. We just disagree.
SICK AND TIRED
October 11th, 2010
6:07 pm
MARK RICHT PLEASE KICK THIS THUG KING OFF THE TEAM TODAY
SeoulDawg
October 11th, 2010
6:07 pm
He probably fumbled the ticket and didn’t recover it, thus the reason he didn’t know his court date.
big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:08 pm
now that was funny, Seol
Tron5000
October 11th, 2010
6:08 pm
First of all, Caleb King is a moron for not paying his ticket. I’m sure dude could’ve come up with $380 to avoid a bench warrant. And he’s even dumber for putting himself around police knowing that he had an unpaid ticket, which usually leads to a bench warrant. But I wonder what led to the cops checking his license. If they asked for mine in such a situation, I would wonder why if I was not the one being pulled over or accused of the crime. Did he run his mouth or something to entice the cops to ask for his license, or was it just because he happened to be there?
Harry from da Burn
October 11th, 2010
6:09 pm
Hey big deal, yea we had a coach lie on our resume. BUT YOUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WAS ARRESTED FOR DUI WITH A GIRL THAT EVERYONE KNOWS HE WAS HITTING THAT!!!
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:09 pm
dawgfan13,
Coach Richt’s recruits feel entitled.
The quicker you learn that, the better it will be.
Then, you can move on to what to do about entitled recruits of Coach Richt.
FORGIVEN.
This is the key word in Coach Richt’s vocabulary.
Its simple
October 11th, 2010
6:09 pm
Big Deal I understand your point but at some point you will have to agree enough is enough. We are the laughing stock of the SEC right now because of this and this guy couldn’t pay a speeding ticket or go to court?
Andy in Blairsville
October 11th, 2010
6:09 pm
Getting a speeding ticket is no big deal.
Getting a speeding ticket, not paying the fine and being issued a warrant by a judge to have your ass arrested because you didn’t appear in court is a BIG DEAL.
mama always said:
October 11th, 2010
6:10 pm
Does anyone think that Dr. Adams has not already called for a meeting with the powers to be in Athens over the empty seats at Saturdays game and the arrest of the starting tailback less than 48 hours later?
This is a business and only a business and when your business is making the headlines for the wrong reason over and over again…Houston we have a problem!
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:11 pm
Tron5000,
Sir, it is 4 am.
What do you expect the Police to do ?
Andy in Blairsville
October 11th, 2010
6:11 pm
Dr. Adams knows the best HC they can get is Mark Richt. Richt is going to be sucking SEC ass for many more seasons to come.
melanienougafan
October 11th, 2010
6:11 pm
When are you people going to get enough of this? How many more players are going to get arrested before you wake up & say this is it!!! You need to start fining these thugs you have for players & make them accountable for their actions…if they think they are untouchable they will continue to behave like little spoiled brats & think they can get out of jail pass just in time to play ball. The SEC & the NCAA need to put fines on the players & the administration for allowing this to happen. This football administration has got to get a grip on this team before they are left with the water boy. I would be embarrassed & would not support them if this were my team, but if this were my team it would be all over national news & my team would be disqualified for years for scholarships, playing rights on TV & you would never see them again on campus because they would be GONE!! You have to put the blame on the team, the coaching, & the young men for screwing up. Coach Richt was taught by the best, Bobby Bowden on how to handle thugs; Bowden was notorious on his den of thugs for years in Florida & it has continued here in Georgia…..what an embarrassment to football. They show no respect for their team, their school & themselves.
mama always said:
October 11th, 2010
6:12 pm
Anything going on after midnight is always trouble!…especially if you are an athlete!
state patrol
October 11th, 2010
6:12 pm
We stop people with tag lights out because people who steal cars take the lights out to try and get by the law.
UGA Fans need too standup
October 11th, 2010
6:12 pm
Fans like BIG DEAL need to be kicked out the door along with them thugs
Billy Jack....@ big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:13 pm
it was a misdemeanor…it is indeed NO BIG deal……he probably didn’t have the $$$ to pay the fine…he panicked and didn’t show up for the court date…it’s not like he assualted someone or stole from someone…if he had borrowed $300 from someone and mailed a money order to Walton Co. he’d have been in the clear….he does NOT deserve to be kicked off the team….
big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:13 pm
Andy and Simple-
Guys, I am a dawg fan and mad about arrests also. I just don’t agree with suspending him for the rest of the year or worse kicking him off the team. Yes, 1-2 games and run the shtt out of him. Do you guys think it will make a difference at this point either way?
mama always said:
October 11th, 2010
6:13 pm
Caleb was in “STEALTH MODE”
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:14 pm
big deal
No, sir, you just don’t get it.
11 arrests since 7 March.
11.
# 2 for Caleb King.
He who has not felt good on game days.
Coach, I don’t feel good.
# 1 football player in the state of Georgia 2006.
Came here in 2007
Now, you tell me what the frig Caleb King has done beside be arrested and arrested and feign injury and tell Ken Malcome that being RB at Georgia is a “GRIND”
You go ahead and give me your EXCUSES
for this entitiled Coach Richt recruit here on MY campus ?
I’ll wait.
Tangram
October 11th, 2010
6:14 pm
The fact that Richt has been silent all day means that he will not do anything about King. Yes, maybe – just maybe – he’ll suspend King for one game (Vanderbilt – big freaking deal), but that’s nothing.
As usual with his players, Richt will stick his head in the sand and do nothing but pontificate.
King should have already been dismissed and sent home.
Dorsey Hill
October 11th, 2010
6:14 pm
Didn’t Rennie Curran have the exact same issue and have no consequences? I don’t recall any outcry then. Nor was one necessary. This has to be the biggest tempest in a teapots I’ve ever seen. The team we just played left an off duty cop bleeding on a sidewalk and nobody missed a game, but we’re supposed to kick guys off for unpaid traffic tickets?
james
October 11th, 2010
6:14 pm
THIS DOES HAPPEN AT ALABAMA, THEY JUST DISMISS THE KIDS AS MEDICAL RELEASES
Allan Iverson
October 11th, 2010
6:14 pm
We’re not talking about a busted tail light, we’re talking about a tag light.
A tag light people…….(repeat several times)
big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:15 pm
boy, i sure wish in our society “thugs” were people that just didn’t pay a speeding ticket. some of you live in very utopian worlds. wish i were there.
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:15 pm
I am Tired of all this
FORGIVENESS
do-dah do-dah
October 11th, 2010
6:15 pm
big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:01 pm
“much more unhappier” is grammatically incorrect.
Except in the state of Ga.
dawgfan13
October 11th, 2010
6:15 pm
I think Thuggg is a very strong word you guys are using, but I am not making light of the situation, but because there have been so many issues with this team I am not sure what to do with this guys. As a Ga fan I am sad abiout this because I see this program sinking fast! Nuthing good has happened this year.
Billy Jack....@ james
October 11th, 2010
6:16 pm
At Alabama the cops look the other…anyone that doesn’t know that are kidding themselves…..
UGA Fans need too standup
October 11th, 2010
6:16 pm
Big Deal it will send a message to the players that they can keep getting a slap on the wrist, no more 1-2 games suspensions and running after practice crap kick the guy off the team
DawginLax
October 11th, 2010
6:16 pm
Rennie Curran was a pure thug. Glad to see the punk gone from here.
Andy in Blairsville
October 11th, 2010
6:16 pm
After 11pm something like 1 out of 4 cars on the road is being driven by a drunk, so what do you expect po-dunk college town cops to be doing? They are looking for probable cause to pull a car over whether that pc is swerving or a light out. Once they have you pulled over they have a 1 in 4 chance you being a $1000++ cash cow after it’s all said and done. Not that you should be drinking and driving, but it’s way more lucrative then writing parking tickets.
Tron5000
October 11th, 2010
6:16 pm
BoWeevil, if he wasn’t suspected of breaking a law, I wouldn’t understand why the police would have any reason to run his license for outstanding warrants. Then again, police in Georgia look for any reason to add a warm body to the local jail. But I just wonder if he did something to provoke the officers or if they were just shaking him down for nothing.
big deal
October 11th, 2010
6:17 pm
do-dah do-dah
yes, but perhaps anywhere in the south!
We Run This State's Prisons
October 11th, 2010
6:17 pm
All y’all stop calling me Cagedup King…I’z resembles them remarks!
dawg mom
October 11th, 2010
6:17 pm
Do not stoop so low as to try to bring in other schools and point fingers while we are in such dire straits at UGA. We need to straighten out our own house…that is no class to point fingers at UF and UA , and others.
The Time is Now
October 11th, 2010
6:17 pm
Mark Richt needs too kick this guy along with the rest of his THUGS off the team
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:18 pm
I would have sent
CALEB KING home for good
in the Spring for telling Ken Malcome that being TB at UGA is a
“GRIND”
to Caleb King.
BoWeevil
October 11th, 2010
6:19 pm
dawg mom,
EXACTLY
ray
October 11th, 2010
6:19 pm
all this drama over a speeding ticket ?
Sick and Tired
October 11th, 2010
6:19 pm
For all you fans saying he shouldn’t be kicked off the team, this is not his first arrest and no more kid games kick this thug off now
WTF????
October 11th, 2010
6:20 pm
These thugs are not kids so please stop it. Would you call an 18-year-old guy who goes to Iraq and is engaged in combat a kid? Didn’t think so. He would be called a man because he is doing the work of a man. How is that any different in college life? You leave home and start out on your own. You are a kid no longer. Please stop this ‘kid’ $#!+.
Andy in Blairsville
October 11th, 2010
6:20 pm
All this drama is over a warrant for his ARREST!
SoCal Dawg
October 11th, 2010
6:21 pm
Runner up Richt- “…and I want bother calling you an idiot, I’m sure you’re probably not.” I am sorry I was wrong… YOU ARE AN IDIOT. My point is if this was the first arrest for the dawgs this would be nothing.
Andy in Blairsville
October 11th, 2010
6:21 pm
Sounds like the NCAA needs to investigate how he managed to get out of HS and into college….
state patrol
October 11th, 2010
6:22 pm
A I tag lights out is a required stop for reasons I mentioned earlier