
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.
1,565 comments Add your comment
h_lo
June 29th, 2012
12:03 pm
Why worry, the attorney general of the US doesn’t prosecute gun violations
and he is of the correct race
phil
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
Vampire Bill
June 29th, 2012
12:03 pm
Ken Boo Malcome should have a huge year
**********
Yeah, sure….just like IC last year was supposed to have a huge year. Malcome will get injured early on and will join the heaping pile of other busts we’ve produced for years now….
Glenn
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
Is there anything worse than seeing a kid with talent throw it away ? He might have ruined his life . Sad stuff .
Gator Fan
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
Bubba King:
Georgia Gun laws changed several years ago and you can without a permit conceal a weapon in your home or car and it is not unlawful. You car is an extension of your home. However, as soon as you leave your home or vehicle with a concealed gun and no carry permit, thats when it crosses the line to illegal.
JJK
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
Okay, it’s time for UGA to let him go. He’s a talented young man; however, he just can’t seem to learn from making poor decisions. There’s plenty of talent out there to fill the spot. I say Next……
red hill
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
He will now be welcomed with open arms at the Barn, Bama or LSU. Waste of talent but he’s got to be gone from Athens.
Head recruiter
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
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”
better stay away from Henry; he doesn’t believe in accountability.
I dropped my fried twinkie
June 29th, 2012
12:05 pm
Stiffback……………………………NOBODY in that CAR is going to take a 2 felony charge for Crowell.
Paul
June 29th, 2012
12:06 pm
Jim Tressel is waiting in the wings to take over. By game 5 a new coaching staff will be in place.
phil
June 29th, 2012
12:06 pm
altering the ole serial number, however, isn’t legal…
Paddy
June 29th, 2012
12:06 pm
hashbrowndawg………I just finished a gun safety and permit class(28 hrs) and my 2 instructors were black and NRA certified members. Loose the attitude, pal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are all what we want to become if we have proper guidence and principles. Any black people reading your comment should be outraged at you .
Big Crimson 75
June 29th, 2012
12:06 pm
Maybe Harvey-Clemons Grand Dad was on to something!
Richt has to accountable for the actions of his Players — as unfair as it may be, this is his Team.
Absolute black eye to the SEC. Our Conferences reigning Frosh of the Year gets hit with 2 Felony’s.
The last black eye was Cam Newton.
The rep of our beloved Conference isn’t gonna get any better after this.
Gosh, it just keeps getting tougher and tougher for Bama & Saban to carry this Conference!!
Luckily, if anyone can do it, it’s Saban!!!
Buzz Me
June 29th, 2012
12:07 pm
Let’s see what the righteous Richt does now!!!!!!
I dropped my fried twinkie
June 29th, 2012
12:07 pm
Josh Harvey Clemons……………..Grand dad was right. JCH will be pulled from UGa soon. OR will Grand Dad want to make all the BAIL money off UGa players
Morehouse
June 29th, 2012
12:08 pm
Sad story all the way around… As a African- American father of college aged sons, it really frustrates me how these kids don’t realize the tremendous opportunity that they presently have..UGA should have gotten rid of him based on his twitter feeds long ago… The sad reality is that there is some honor student/ football player in HS now that is perhaps an inch too short or a step too slow that would represent UGA with class. Garner will never give him a look..
As an attorney… Legally… most of this will probably go away…It is not a violation of GA law to have an unlicensed, unregistered weapon in your car. it is an ext. of your home. Concealed carry laws dont apply here. Officer knew that when he charged him.. but hey, why pass on an opportunity to make a name for yourself and get your arrest report on ESPN? I see this all the time. The altered ID on the gun in this case is probably tenuous at best.. unless its clear that there has been an attempt to file off the serial number to conceal stolen gun. Guns are sometimes dropped, beat and banged around leaving marks, scrapes, etc.. again, judgement call from officer.. Depending on where and how far from campus the checkpoint occurred, Crowell may not have any wriggle room on the weapon on campus charge.. stay tuned…
hashbrowns dawg
June 29th, 2012
12:09 pm
h_lo evidently you arent an nra member. it is easier to buy guns than it is to vote or buy alcohal. the laws are so weak it is almost impossible to prosecuted anybody.
you can point fingers all you want but the truth is the truth,
onceadawg
June 29th, 2012
12:09 pm
Dang, another one bites the dust.
But I do remember the days when, legal or not, we kept our hunting rifles in our dorm rooms. Nobody commented when we carried them in and out or transported them in our cars/trucks. But they weren’t concealed. Nor did they have altered serial numbers. I miss back when.
Cal
June 29th, 2012
12:09 pm
I know girls who carry guns in their purses on campus. I would also be willing to bet that about half of the off-road pickup trucks on campus have guns stashed in them somewhere. Yeah, I have a gun in my car, too (it’s also registered and I have a carry permit). I know a judge who drives through a school zone regularly with a gun in his car. I can’t believe anyone is surprised by this other than the “alterations” on the gun, which don’t make a lot of sense. Most anyone can go to a sporting goods store and walk out with a handgun for about $200. No need to carry something “hot”.
Honky Talkin
June 29th, 2012
12:10 pm
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
squat
June 29th, 2012
12:10 pm
only thing satan can carry is my nutz to his mouth..
Hhbo
June 29th, 2012
12:10 pm
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.
*******************************************************************************************************************
Educator for Life
June 29th, 2012
11:29 am
Please, he will get off with a “slap on the wrist”. Yes, it will be some games missed, but I guarantee you I would see the bars had it been me. I am tired of the excuses that these boys use. For example, this Derrick Henry person who tweeted “Pray for Isaiah instead of bashing him…not everybody was raised the same”. You are right, Derrick, we should not judge, but we cannot make excuses for those who know right from wrong. I grew up in the projects, but knew what to do in order to make it out without making those dumb mistakes. I am sick of the “I am a product of my environment” line. Isaiah has the opportunity of a lifetime by gettting a free education, being on TV, and making millions without really “going to work”, then he continues to smoke and do dumb stuff. Not judging, but he gets no sympathy from this black male who saw the same thing he saw!
*******************************************************************************************************************
Tyrone,
I believe you need to look at Educator’s comment. If the establishment bends or changes to allow this behavior, society as a whole will continue to crumble. The rules do not change. The people do! That’s exactly what maturity, dedication, respect, etc… is all about. If you do not conform, then please enjoy your low class life and continue to teach the future generations how to be similarly low-classed. If you do, then continue to work hard and enjoy the fruits of a middle or upper class life and teach the future how to live respectably within society. Thank you Educator for your lesson today!!!
Coach
June 29th, 2012
12:11 pm
See you at Ga State!
I dropped my fried twinkie
June 29th, 2012
12:12 pm
RiverDawg
June 29th, 2012
12:02 pm
@ Old Guy, the report did not say the type of weapon and that he had an alternate id. One would only assume that he had fake id for himself.
Wake Up you MORON…………..you are showing you 65 IQ.
It was a 9mm Lugar with the serial number distorted.
This Poster is WHY people LAUGH at UGa fans. 19 pages of posts and radio stories and ths fool still doesn’t now the story.
phil
June 29th, 2012
12:12 pm
Morehouse
June 29th, 2012
12:08 pm
Sad story all the way around… As a African- American father of college aged sons, it really frustrates me how these kids don’t realize the tremendous opportunity that they presently have..UGA should have gotten rid of him based on his twitter feeds long ago… The sad reality is that there is some honor student/ football player in HS now that is perhaps an inch too short or a step too slow that would represent UGA with class. Garner will never give him a look..
As an attorney… Legally… most of this will probably go away…It is not a violation of GA law to have an unlicensed, unregistered weapon in your car. it is an ext. of your home. Concealed carry laws dont apply here. Officer knew that when he charged him.. but hey, why pass on an opportunity to make a name for yourself and get your arrest report on ESPN? I see this all the time. The altered ID on the gun in this case is probably tenuous at best.. unless its clear that there has been an attempt to file off the serial number to conceal stolen gun. Guns are sometimes dropped, beat and banged around leaving marks, scrapes, etc.. again, judgement call from officer.. Depending on where and how far from campus the checkpoint occurred, Crowell may not have any wriggle room on the weapon on campus charge.. stay tuned…
************
I respect some of what you’re saying, but you’re making excuses for the serial number part. The gun wasn’t dropped or banged around. come on. It’s stolen and you know it and i know it. IC needs to go bye bye and that right now so we can get the focus back on the team and the next series of arrests to come before long.
People who haven't played a down of football in their life
June 29th, 2012
12:12 pm
Everybody makes mistakes and the only reason he is getting this much attention is because he is a football player. Before you judge a “Kid” for making a mistake, how about you judge yourself for cheating on you wives and other things you don’t feel proud about doing in your past. John 8:7
Big Crimson 75
June 29th, 2012
12:12 pm
Yo Twink — GATA !!!!!
hahahahahahaah
Whatever
June 29th, 2012
12:13 pm
So, the 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms does not apply to college football players? How many of you hypocrits bashing Crowell have guns to “protect” yourselves? And, the smell of marijuana probable cause request to search the car is plain BS. Crowell’s did make two mistakes. 1) purchasing a bad gun, 2) giving permission to search his car. Most people would not realize that road is on Campus and for all but 1/2 mile, it is not.
phil
June 29th, 2012
12:13 pm
People who haven’t played a down of football in their life
June 29th, 2012
12:12 pm
Everybody makes mistakes and the only reason he is getting this much attention is because he is a football player. Before you judge a “Kid” for making a mistake, how about you judge yourself for cheating on you wives and other things you don’t feel proud about doing in your past. John 8:7
*********
He’s no kid…..spare us.
hashbrowns dawg
June 29th, 2012
12:15 pm
68 players on the team
68 players on the teeeeeam
drink a beer shift those gears
67 players on the teammmmmmm
all together now…….
Chris
June 29th, 2012
12:15 pm
Guess he thought he was at Tech, where he really would need a gun.
UGA2003
June 29th, 2012
12:15 pm
Coach Richt – when will the representatives of our fine university stop embarrassing us to no end? Does this bother you at all?
KGray
June 29th, 2012
12:16 pm
I don’t know why some of these parents allow their childrens talents to be used by some of these colleges anyway. The parents focus should be on education their children not being used by these colleges and universities; because, the focus should be placed on academics not sports. Do away with this barbaric sport.
poof!!!
June 29th, 2012
12:16 pm
Here’s hoping Isaiah sees the light. Don’t ruin your opportunity.
bitter dawgggs fan/insider
June 29th, 2012
12:16 pm
FIRST——–CHIP TOWERS REARS HIS UGLY FACE FINALLY
CROWFACE BACK TO COLUMBUS—–THEN TO ALLBURN—-
————-ATHENS HAS A NEW WORLD ORDER—–NO MORE TH_UGGS
Rebeldawg
June 29th, 2012
12:17 pm
GET OUT LOW LIFES> THE HEAD MAN NEEDS TO STOP BRINGING SCUM> PS NOW COAVH FIND SOMEONE T^O TAKE HIM AND PLAY AGAINST US
dawgfan
June 29th, 2012
12:17 pm
I don’t care about how this guy was raised or of that hogwash. He’s been in the UGA program two years and has been exposed to some very positive influences from coaches to team mates. His football skills aside – this guy is trouble. Unless there’s some mitigating circumstances it may be time to get rid of this guy.
Lagdawg
June 29th, 2012
12:18 pm
Not overly concerned with this. The kid has been given enough chances and there is another HS kid that would love to be a Dawg and won’t cause all these problems. Time to cut the rope and move on. Malcolme, Gurley, Marshall and Samuels will get the job done as long as the OL does its job. Enough is enough!
2ruff
June 29th, 2012
12:18 pm
Geepers, will the work-release program work for him?
Drugs and guns… sounds like he needs to be a rapper…
Too stupid to learn.
Expulsion was the result form this sort of stuff “back in the day”.
Now its everyday news that overpaid (butt stupid) athletes are getting to major trouble and somehow since they are a rising “superstar” they end up getting off FREE.
bitter dawgggs fan/insider
June 29th, 2012
12:18 pm
@KGRAY———-GO F__K YOURSELF AND YOUR PUZZY ATTITUDE
—————COLLAGE FOOTBALL RULES————-DEAL WITH IT—–GA_Y BOY
Head recruiter
June 29th, 2012
12:18 pm
For all of the apologists on here who say how poor he was, etc, etc… I wonder if the NCAA is going to investigate his 1500 dollar bulldog puppy he showed up with on signing day.
Garry Owen
June 29th, 2012
12:19 pm
Again, for every athlete busted at UGA the scholarship should go to a deserving academic student!
DawgFan
June 29th, 2012
12:20 pm
We knew last year he was not going to change in to anything great. Pack his bag and put him on a Greyhound to Columbus today. No more changes to prove he is a good man.
Gators for Richt
June 29th, 2012
12:20 pm
So much for the theory that Richt only recruits high character guys. Actually, that theory was disproved several years ago, but most dawg fans don’t understand science.
Just a dumb kid
June 29th, 2012
12:20 pm
I was one once, straightened up fairly well since my younger 20’s. Thankfully he didn’t hurt anyone or himself.
Fulmer cup
June 29th, 2012
12:21 pm
Dwags team motto for 2012: No problem, we’ll just reload! Bwahahahahahahaha
Josh Havey-Clemmons Granddad
June 29th, 2012
12:22 pm
I told my boy he shoud have gone to UF or Halfass U.
I dropped my fried twinkie
June 29th, 2012
12:22 pm
Bi Cri………..in Da Hizzy.
hashbrowns dawg
June 29th, 2012
12:22 pm
hey chris if you didnt read the poster above he admitted that he knew girls on the uga campus who carry guns in their purses.
and you even have the nerve to mention gt after that? i have never met a girl on the gt campus who feels the need to carry a gun in her purse.
AGAIN YOU FAIL!
g
June 29th, 2012
12:23 pm
too bad, back to the hood for you
marie
June 29th, 2012
12:23 pm
I agree. Release him, let him go.