Big Lead Sports Bar

9/13/2010

"Hey, I play for Pitt football. Please, don't arrest me."



That poor choice of words was allegedly uttered by Pitt RB Jason Douglas, the latest Panther to run afoul of the law after a hit-and-run that also left him with DUI, aggravated assault, and underage drinking charges early Sunday morning in the South Side.

You want details? Take it away, PG...
Mr. Douglas was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a vehicle while DUI and being involved in an accident that resulted in personal injury, as well as a misdemeanor charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and a summary underage drinking charge. Mr. Douglas, 19, is free on $500 bond, pending a preliminary hearing at 8 a.m. Thursday. According to court records, Mr. Douglas, a redshirt freshman from Opa-locka, Fla., was arrested after police were called to the scene of an accident at 1:41 a.m. at East Carson and 22nd streets. The victim, Christopher Paul, suffered head and neck injuries. Police found him lying in the street, and paramedics drove him to UPMC Presbyterian where he was in serious condition Sunday.
That sounds pretty bad, for both Douglas and the victim. But what about that soon-to-be infamous quote?
Police said he was slow to comply with their orders to exit the vehicle, and when he spoke without prompting, he said, "Hey, I play for Pitt football. Please, don't arrest me," according to the affidavit that supports his arrest.
For those of you scoring at home, Douglas' blood-alcohol level was 0.178, which is more than twice the legal limit to drive in PA. According to the police report, Douglas was so wasted that that an officer had to hold him up by the arm after he exited his vehicle. That certainly doesn't like someone I'd want behind the wheel of a car.

The only good news in the story is that Douglas didn't inflict any harm on himself or his passenger, Pitt LB Dan Mason. Although an obvious question would be the condition  and/or judgment of Mason to get in the car with a person blowing a 0.178 on the breathalyzer.

Douglas, a sophomore who had three carries for eight yards and caught one pass against New Hampshire, has been suspended indefinitely by the Panthers. The 5'7", 170-pound backup tailback and kick returner had played in both Pitt games in the 2010 season, fumbling a kickoff against Utah.

This is the second highly-publicized incident for the Pitt program since July, when Jabaal Sheard threw a man through a glass door of a South Side gallery and eventually pleaded guilty to a summary charge of disorderly conduct. I don't know about you, but if I were a Pitt player, I'm pretty sure I'd steer clear of the South Side at this point in time and in the foreseeable future.


Jabaal Sheard Threw a Guy Through a Glass Door [MH]

Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

8 comments:

The Abiding Dude said...

Idiot...

And I don't know how many of you frequent the South Side on Friday or Saturday's, but in the past year, I have been there three times. Each time, I think to myself: "I don't miss this at all..." It might be that my twenties are over, but why anyone goes there is beyond me. It is out of control.

But back to Douglas, he's an idiot.

The Abiding Dude said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BURGH08 said...

I wanted to leave a message with the Pitt ticket office saying I was the guy arresting this POS, and the main reason was they messed up my club seats and parking pass.

Im getting older too, but there is a reason why politicians are getting more involved with the South Side issues. It's getting out of control. Keep arresting them, Pitt football players and all as far as I'm concerned.

Steve said...

Didn't he learn the best way to get charges dropped after being charged with drunken assault -- whether it be by fist or auto -- isn't to plead for forgiveness, but to be pepper sprayed by police and throw someone though a window? Well, that and being a starter versus a backup doens't hurt either.

If he's lucky, the Pitt legal team will get to work and have all this magically erased because if it doesn't show up on his legal record, then it never happened, right Mr. Wannstedt? Like the pregnant girl in a white wedding dress...it's all good.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

Anybody with a valid Pitt ID can take the bus for free.

Why the hell this idiot didn't just get on a bus is beynond me. I hope he gets the boot for sure.

@Steve, Jabaal Sheard's incident was not as black and white as you seem to think. You can rip Wanny, but it could be worse; he didn't have 27 arrests during his first 4 years as coach like the great Urban Meyer.

Ironic that Brandon Hogan from WVU also got picked up for a DUI this weekend? Can Pitt and WVU just not stop competing with each other?

Joshua said...

I can't say much right now, but come Dec. 15, you can chalk up another name to Wanny's Cell-Block of Shame.

Dom Errico said...

So let's see, a kid does underage drinking, drives while under the influence while at twice the legal limit, HITS a pedestrian which sends said man to the hospital in serious condition, then flees the scene.

When the police catch up to him he thinks being a Pitt football player should be enough to let him off the hook?

Someone ought to tell this kid that the Pitt football program isn't THAT relevant.

Anonymous said...

This could only be better if he screamed "Don't tase me bro!"