UPDATE III: Georgia TB Isaiah Crowell dismissed after weapons arrest
Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell, who rushed for 850 yards as a freshman last season, was expected to start for the Bulldogs this fall. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
UPDATED: CROWELL DISMISSED FROM TEAM
ATHENS – Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell has been dismissed from the team following his arrest early Friday morning on three weapons charges.
Georgia coach Mark Richt made the announcement in short news release sent out by UGA Sports Communications at 5 p.m. on Friday.
“We have a dedicated and committed group of men who are working hard to prepare for the coming season,” Richt said. “Our total focus will be directed toward the team and this effort.”
Crowell, a sophomore from Columbus, was booked at 3:37 a.m. on charges of possessing a concealed weapon, having a weapon in a school zone and having an altered ID mark on that weapon. His bond, originally set at $7,500, was raised to $9,500 late Friday morning. According to booking records, Crowell was released early Friday afternoon.
According to the police report, four other Georgia football players were also in Crowell’s vehicle, including three 2012 freshman signees. Those persons were outside linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons, wide receiver Blake Tibbs and defensive back Sheldon Dawson. Also present was sophomore defensive back Quintavius Harrow. None of the four were charged.
According to Athens-Clarke police spokesperson Hilda Sorrow, Crowell was arrested at a “vehicle check-point” — or road block — on East Campus Road at Green Street at 2:20 a.m. Friday. Officer Kathryn Thornton reported smelling the odor of marijuana in Crowell’s silver four-door 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. Crowell gave consent to search the vehicle, himself and four other occupants. No marijuana was discovered but a black 9-mm Luger handgun with an altered serial number was found under the driver’s seat. Crowell was immediately arrested and taken to jail.
According to the police report, Crowell denied knowing the gun was in the car and said people drive the vehicle. He. The owner of the vehicle is listed as Crowell’s mother Debbie. The report also indicted that the five were coming from the nightclub Aftermath, where Crowell said the smell of marijuana originated.
The police report also indicated that Crowell has no criminal history.
Crowell’s mother, Debbie, was clearly distressed when reached by telephone Friday. “I don’t want to talk to a reporter right now,” she said. “”If I want to talk to anybody it’s God.”
Crowell, who came to UGA in 2011 as the No. 1-rated running back prospect in America, was slated to start for the Bulldogs at tailback this season. He rushed for 850 yards and 5 touchdowns as a freshman despite missing playing time due to suspensions and injuries. He was benched for the first quarter of the Vanderbilt game on Oct. 15 as a punishment for an undisclosed disciplinary infraction and he was suspended for the Nov. 5 New Mexico State game, reportedly for failing a drug test.
With Crowell out of the fold, Georgia will turn to redshirt sophomore Ken Malcome and senior Richard Samuel to carry the load early on, along with junior Brandon Harton. The Bulldogs also signed Keith Marshall of Raleigh, N.C. — the top running back prospect in the country, according to 247Sports.com — and four-star prospect Todd Gurley of Tarboro, N.C., to play running back. Marshall enrolled in January.
Marshall and other running backs were offering support for Crowell via Twitter.
“Pray for Isaiah & that he will learn from his mistake,” wrote Marshall from @Truthh4.
Derrick Henry, a highly-touted running back prospect from Florida who once was committed to Georgia, also weighed in via his Twitter account, @KingHenry_2: “Pray for Crowell instead [of] bashing him . . . because everyone wasn’t raised the same. . . . So everyone should just pray he sees a better way”
More information to come when it’s available.
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1,565 comments Add your comment
Terry Bowden
June 29th, 2012
10:58 am
Richt learned how to recruit just like my daddy; the difference is my daddy controlled the Tally Police dept.
Bulldawgy Bulldawgy
June 29th, 2012
10:58 am
It must be somebody else’s fault! Read these comments. A good boy misunderstood. Probably didn’t have an upbringing. Probably doesn’t know right from wrong. Let’s apologize to him and give him another chance. After all, he’s a Bulldawgy felon and that’s okay. This football program is evil. The fans are evil. Have you no decency when it comes to Bulldawgy football? By the way, the program is mid-tier SEC and might be more competitive in the ACC. Consider a change?
Crowell’s story all too familiar for UGA fans | UGA: The Junkyard Blawg
June 29th, 2012
10:58 am
[...] Another Georgia tailback’s career derailed — probably ended — by his own actions. This time it’s Isaiah Crowell, arrested early Friday morning on three weapons charges. [...]
BobDawg
June 29th, 2012
10:59 am
Interesting how fast this hit on 790 The Zone and others this am. I remember in the 70’s Sylvester Boler fired his handgun in the Jock Dorm and that was it for him under Dooley’s watch…
Jeff
June 29th, 2012
10:59 am
Rarely happens to a white guy, always a black guy. Can’t they understand the opportunity they’ve been given and behave. I guess they were raised that way, and nothing can change it.
Terry Bowden
June 29th, 2012
10:59 am
Enter your comments here
Chim
June 29th, 2012
10:59 am
After reading the article, I highly doubt the weapon belonged to Crowell. I know it doesn’t matter at this point, but I genuinely feel sorry for the kid. He surrounded himself with losers and now he is going to pay an extremely high price.
Buzz Off
June 29th, 2012
10:59 am
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UGA sports blog
UPDATED: Georgia TB Isaiah Crowell faces ‘immediate suspension’ due to felony weapons arrest
8:13 am June 29, 2012, by Chip Towers
Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell, who rushed for 850 yards as a freshman last season, was expected to start for the Bulldogs this fall. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
UPDATED WITH ARREST DETAILS . . .
ATHENS – Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell was arrested early Friday morning and remains in Athens-Clarke County Jail on three weapons charges, two of them felonies.
The sophomore from Columbus was booked at 3:37 a.m. on charges of possessing a concealed weapon, having a weapon in a school zone and having an altered ID mark on that weapon. His bond was set at $7,500.
According to Athens-Clarke police spokesperson Hilda Sorrow, Crowell was arrested at a “vehicle check-point” — or road block — on East Campus Road at Green Street at 2:20 a.m. Friday. Officer Kristin Thornton reported smelling the odor of marijuana in Crowell’s 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. Crowell gave consent to search the vehicle, himself and four other unnamed occupants. No marijuana was discovered but a 9-mm Luger handgun with an altered serial number was found under the driver’s seat. Crowell was immediately arrested and taken to jail and the car was impounded.
Sorrow said the arresting officer’s report was not yet available and she was not allowed to identify the other four occupants of the vehicle.
According to the UGA Student-Athlete handbook, a felony arrest means “immediate suspension from athletic competition.” A “Comprehensive Action Plan Committee,” consisting of UGA athletic association senior administrators and the faculty athletics representative, will then investigate and review the facts and forward a disciplinary recommendation to athletic director Greg McGarity. Recommendations include “dismissal from the team, suspension from competition, reduction in aid and/or cancellation of athletic aid.”
This is not Crowell’s first brush with trouble at Georgia. He was benched for the first quarter of the Vanderbilt game on Oct. 15 as a punishment for an unknown disciplinary infraction and was suspended for the Nov. 5 New Mexico State game, reportedly for failing a drug test.
McGarity, responding to a text message seeking comment, said “not at this time.”
Crowell, who came to UGA in 2011 as the No. 1-rated running back prospect in America, was slated to start for the Bulldogs at tailback this season. He rushed for 850 yards and 5 touchdowns as a freshman despite missing playing time due to suspensions and injuries.
With Crowell likely out of the fold, Georgia will turn to redshirt sophomore Ken Malcome and senior Richard Samuel to carry the load early on. The Bulldogs also signed Keith Marshall of Raleigh, N.C., — considered the top running back prospect in the country, according to 247Sports.com — who enrolled in January, and four-star prospect Todd Gurley of Tarboro, N.C., to play running back.
More information to come when it’s available.
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683 comments Add your comment
steve brule
June 29th, 2012
8:14 am
what a dingus
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Billo
June 29th, 2012
8:15 am
Your time Keith!!!
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no more chances
June 29th, 2012
8:17 am
Time to cut out the cancer.
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Pat
June 29th, 2012
8:18 am
Good riddance. Wasted talent.
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DIT
June 29th, 2012
8:19 am
Could not agree more. Time to cut him loose! What a shame, so much talent goes to waste!
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C-Dawg
June 29th, 2012
8:19 am
I’m not bothered by this at all… we’ll be just fine without him.
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Here we go again
June 29th, 2012
8:19 am
will this never end????????
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jarvis jones
June 29th, 2012
8:19 am
I thought he was going to win the Heisman?
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Techie
June 29th, 2012
8:20 am
He sounds like a dang good Dawg! WOOF WOOF
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tempo
June 29th, 2012
8:20 am
And the beat goes on
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jay
June 29th, 2012
8:20 am
Just damn
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Slick in Duluth
June 29th, 2012
8:21 am
He Will Be He & They Will Be They…we are a better team now.
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Blbbulldawg
June 29th, 2012
8:21 am
By cancer I assume u mean mark richt? Hire Jon Gruden
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Truth
June 29th, 2012
8:21 am
Well, at least Richt wont have to make the tough suspension decision. Adams will expel him. too bad this guy took someone elses spot on the team
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Paul in East Lake
June 29th, 2012
8:21 am
It simply never ceases to amaze me.
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C-Dawg
June 29th, 2012
8:22 am
2 things I’ll take from this… he will not win the Heisman… we will still beat Tech
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C-Dawg
June 29th, 2012
8:22 am
But of course we all knew both of those before this morning
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Nick Saban
June 29th, 2012
8:22 am
I tried to tell you Mark !
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Dawgs4Ever
June 29th, 2012
8:23 am
Agreed. Keith Marshall will hopefully shine! Crowell was a huge disappointment last year. Maybe Marshall can run two plays in a row without taking himself out…
He was SEC Fresman of the year!?!? The guy single-handly carried the work load for us. He was set to have a break-out season and you call him a disappointment? I don’t condone his off-field actions but I’m not going to belittle what he did on the field.
Homepage | MrSEC
June 29th, 2012
11:00 am
[...] Here’s the skinny from Chip Towers of The AJC on the arrest: [...]
Demetre Baker
June 29th, 2012
11:00 am
Whats wrong with a bunch of brothers cruisin at 2 in the morning while smokin weed and carryin a german pistol for protection?
BobDawg
June 29th, 2012
11:00 am
Why do you think we went so hard after running backs this last season…Richt and Co knew IC was a powder keg waiting to “blow”…..
UGA Grad'71
June 29th, 2012
11:01 am
Nothing but a dumb (insert epithet here)
BobDawg
June 29th, 2012
11:01 am
Richt and Co. knew this situation was not ideal and had to go after Gurley and Marshall hard.
Arby
June 29th, 2012
11:01 am
Why is UGA having problems. It is the most policed University, but Crowell had problems with drugs first. Looks like Auburn got the better recruit.
Craig James...
June 29th, 2012
11:02 am
Georgia needs more high character guys on the team…
Jesus
June 29th, 2012
11:02 am
He’s forgiven.
But you’ve got to be kidding me.
BoneHead: Georgia Running Back Isaiah Crowell Arrested On Weapons Charges… | The News Sports Guru
June 29th, 2012
11:02 am
[...] on multiple charges related to weapons possession, including carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a weapon in a school zone. He was booked at 3:37 a.m. and had his bond set at [...]
jalex49
June 29th, 2012
11:02 am
This has got to stop at Georgia! As far as Crowell, it is what it is? At least Georgia will deal with it by immediately complying unlike some other schools in the SEC that would try to push it on the back burner.
Georgia will be fine. I hope a class act running back will see a good opportunity at Georgia. I am more excited about Marshall and Gurley in the mix with Malcome and Samuels than I ever was about Crowell… I don’t think it’s too much of a loss in the big scheme of things!
GO Dawgs!!
BIGDAWGFAN
June 29th, 2012
11:02 am
BUZZ OFF GET A LIFE!!!
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
Washaun Ealey probably asking somebody “Who’s the cancer?”
Bacog
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
It is time for him to go
Georgia’s Isaiah Crowell arrested on felony gun charges – USA TODAY | Daily News Pages
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
[...] According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Crowell is in Athens-Clarke County Jail after being booked on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possessing a weapon in a school zone and an altered identification. Two of the charges are felonies. [...]
BobDawg
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
One man’s mis-step is others opportunity as Mike Smith likes to say…. We have 4 ready to step in and handle the load…. No Worries!
Big Crimson 75
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
bham — keep your chin up. It’s never as bad as it seems — nor is it ever as good as it seems.
schmeckdawg
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
o-my
June 29th, 2012
10:32 am
If he knew the gun was there ..why did he give police permission to search?
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They smelled pot, so I am guessing that gave them probable cause!
MontyP
June 29th, 2012
11:03 am
Altered ID on a gun means the serial number was most likely etched out. This is usually done to conceal a stolen weapon. It is a felony in the state of Georgia and I believe a Federal felony that could lead to Federal charges by the BATF! Expel him an let’s move on!
megamicro
June 29th, 2012
11:04 am
Should have bought a Sig Sauer 9mm. Better gun.
Bulldawgy Bulldawgy
June 29th, 2012
11:04 am
Get the name of that police officer who dared arrest a marijuana smoking Bulldawgy with a bogus gun under the seat, out at 2:20 in the morning, probably doing some mission work akin to Coach Richt. Fire the policeman. He can’t treat a Bulldawgy that way. Our felons are not bad, they are misunderstood. This program festers thoughts that are evil. Bulldawgies are non-factors and it truly must hurt.
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:04 am
Looking back, ok, Richt blew it, we do miss Ealey’s 11 td’s and over 5 yards per carry now. Boy. Richt blew that call.
Might cost him a National Championship.
Ouch!
59bulldawg
June 29th, 2012
11:04 am
Derek Henry you seeing this? If you can behave yourself we can use you!
GTBob
June 29th, 2012
11:04 am
I’m guessing he TOTALLY didn’t think he was violating any laws. How many other UGA students (and faculty) have guns in their cars?
For the sake of Athens, I really hope this wasn’t a serious post.
tony
June 29th, 2012
11:05 am
Feb 07, 2011
There was only one thing missing: a running back. Richt then escorted Crowell to the field, gave him a jersey with his name on it and asked him if he wanted the spot. Then Richt asked if he could himself playing for the Bulldogs in the opener against Boise State at the Georgia Dome.
“Yes, sir, I can,” Crowell responded.
Ealey gets upset and leave the team and Crowell did not start in the opener.
Gator Mike
June 29th, 2012
11:05 am
Although I am a Gator, I feel bad for the UGA fans and Coach Richt that this idiot embarrassed UGA and the SEC. Hopefully, UGA gets rid of him for the good of the entire team and school.
New Formation
June 29th, 2012
11:05 am
Well, Richt will simply scrap the Pistol formation featurng Crowell and go with the shotgun package featuring Murray.
BullDogBull
June 29th, 2012
11:05 am
Wow, he can run and carry a football. Really, he’s got talent..for football. But he’s toooo dumb to be a college student. How many examples has he seen of this and yet, he still didn’t get the message. It’s a shame, but I’ll be extremely disappointed if he’s not booted out of school much less off the team. It’s just way past time to stop the coddling of these gangsters.
DIT
June 29th, 2012
11:06 am
Listen, I’m Dawg through and through, but to the UGAers out there making excuses for IC… STOP! If this kid was serious about his education and football he would not be out at 3am!! He was warned of his pot smoking, yet he reaked of it. Nothing else needs to be said about the gun situation.
I wish this did not happen. I’m embarrassed as all, but I’m not going to make excuses for him and try and bend the laws. He broke the law! He broke the rules of the school and football team. He needs to go and I DO hope that he can turn his life around. I don’t hate the kid, he has just proved that he could be a bad egg on a team that needs to get it’s act together.
Samuel needs to take the bull by the horns and lead the RB corp.! Like last year, UGA can’t rely on Freshmen running backs.
Haters, have fun. This is your time because the table has been set nicely for you. I can’t argue one bit on anything negative being said. With all being said. Go Dawgs!
BamaGuy
June 29th, 2012
11:06 am
That boy needs Jesus….And maybe a full frontal hug from Richt….
Civil Unrest
June 29th, 2012
11:06 am
Why does one alter the serial number on a gun?
Motocross Survivor
June 29th, 2012
11:07 am
“Gator fan….that is idiotic….any gun not in plain view of an officer…I.e, under the car seat, is a concealed weapon….u need to know the law…glove box, console, trunk=consealed!!!”
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It is legal to carry a firearm in your car, hidden in the console, at least in GA.
crusher dawg
June 29th, 2012
11:07 am
Don’t condemn him until you hear all of the facts. Please don’t blame Coach Richt for a decision made by a player.
Tonya
June 29th, 2012
11:07 am
Maybe Crowell was visiting the UGA professor/hooker who dresses like a woman and solicits customers. With Damon Evans gone, he has to find new business.
That sounds about right.
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:07 am
Mettenberger & Ealey likely have “No comment”, when asked why Crowell was not immediately kicked off the team.
Frontman
June 29th, 2012
11:07 am
HBTD… just another day in Athens.
Now let’s start with all the comments about how college players only get punished at UGA and in Clarke County…
Civil Unrest
June 29th, 2012
11:08 am
Well there goes our National Championship.
schmeckdawg
June 29th, 2012
11:08 am
megamicro
June 29th, 2012
11:04 am
Should have bought a Sig Sauer 9mm. Better gun.
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Hate to say it, but, that is pretty damn funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CDAWG
June 29th, 2012
11:08 am
Crowell was not a disappointment last year, 850 yards is pretty dang good for a freshman in the SEC. I CANNOT believe the stupidity and I am so frustrated with our team. What the hell are these guys thinking.
I have a question out of the entire team, how many white kids are on the team and how many black kids. It’s not a racist question just curiosity!
Tyrone from East Point
June 29th, 2012
11:08 am
With a good attorney, perhaps the charges could be dropped or at least reduced to allow this young man to continue his education.
The establishment must stop trying to hold down young Black men.
shankit
June 29th, 2012
11:08 am
Looking forward to the Gator Bowl this year,
Reidsville vs. Raiford.
Raiford still have somewhat of a home field advantage.
Real Problem
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
Good, good and a bunch more good…..now send him up to Tennessee.
Just when is Georgia going to wake up and acknowledge we have problems????
Sid
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
SiddyBoy
June 29th, 2012
10:54 am
If this guy ever sets foot on Sanford Stadium soil again, I’ll never give another dime to support any UGA program; athletic or academic.
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You sound like an athletic supporter.